Celtic race to train stewards; EXCLUSIVE CLUB RUSH TO LICENSE STAFF BY DEADLINE.

Byline: By RUSSELL FINDLAY

CELTIC are in a race against time to have ground stewards registered after being warned their pitch could be shut down on match days.

The club's failure to meet new industry standards can be revealed days after the one-man pitch invasion against AC Milan.

The Old Firm giants are the only major club in Scotland which use their own in-house company - called Protectevent - to steward games.

But tough new lawswhich come into force on November 1 mean their stewards need to get licensed.

Last night the club vowed match-day stewards would comply with the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

Yesterday some Protectevent workers were undergoing the four-day SIA training course.

But it will take a further four to six weeks - after the November 1 deadline - before they will be issued with their licences.

That means none of the unlicensed guards will be able to take up duties.

These would include such as protecting "against outbreaks of disorder or against damage."

The Sunday Mail can reveal details of a behind-the-scenes row between the club, the SIA and Strathclyde Police.

Sources say Celtic were initially reluctant to comply with the SIA, believing their staff to be exempt from the new regulations.

For each home game Celtic hires around 150 stewards from outside firms, and 150 to 250 from Protectevent.

The outside firms who supply match-day stewards for other Scottish clubs will all be SIA licensed.

The club was put under the spotlight after the pitch invasion by fan Robert McHendry following the winning goal against AC Milan on Wednesday.

A source said: "Celtic and the SIA have not been seeing eye-to-eye over this.

"Senior figures in Strathclyde Police and representatives from other clubs backed the SIA.

"The Scottish Government were also keen to see a uniformity across all clubs.

"There was one meeting where a very senior Strathclyde Police officer suggested that after November 1, if Celtic's stewards were not SIA licensed, the match commander could cancel the fixture. That would have been the absolute sanction but it seems common sense has prevailed."

SIA training has been available since last October for security industry workers such as bouncers and building site guards.

It allows employers to have their staff licensed in time for November 1.

Most Scottish clubs use stewards from SIA-compliant private firms such as Rock Steady.

But Celtic uses Protectevent which was formed during the Fergus McCann era. Its three registered officials are the club's chief executive Peter Lawell, secretary Robert Howat and financial director Eric Riley.

Protectevent have also supplied staff to Livingston FC, T in the Park and the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations.

A Celtic spokesman said: "The safety of spectators at Celtic Park is of paramount importance and all stewards, both in-house and contracted, are employed in compliance with the requirement of the stadium safety certificate.

"With the introduction of forthcoming legislation, all stewards engaged in licensable activity will hold an SIA licence.

"We have a fantastic relationship with police and there is no issue regarding this."

English football clubs are regulated by the Football Licensing Authority after lobbying for exemption from the SIA.

An SIA spokeswoman said: "If we found evidence of non-compliance after November 1, there are a range of sanctions, including prosecution, that we can take. Celtic are no different to any other club."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "It is for each organisation to ensure their operations comply with the legislation."

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CAPTION(S):

In a stew: Some of the guards at Parkhead, left, will not meet new licence deadline