Allegations that Scotland's largest local authority broke the law in historic land deals involving Celtic Football Club have been officially dismissed.
Glasgow City Council, Celtic and the Scottish Government have been told in the past 24 hours by the European Commission that it would not be proceeding any further with complaints the club benefitted from 'state aid'.
It comes almost a year after the original complaints were made. The Commission did not take the complaint as far as opening a formal investigation even though council officers were summoned to its Brussels headquarters on at least one occasion to answer questions on the claims.
Detailed detailed information was also demanded of the Scottish Premiership club.
A spokesman for the European Commission's division on competition law said: "Following complaints of citizens, the Commission carried out an informal, preliminary investigation into alleged aid provided by the City of Glasgow to the Celtic Glasgow football club.
"Contacts with the UK authorities and information received the from authorities however did not confirm that Celtic received any state aid, because the City did not grant any financial advantages to the club.
"Therefore, on the basis of the available information, the Commission's services did not see a basis to investigate the matter further."
The complaints focused on a series of land purchases around the east end of Glasgow by Celtic from the city council, primarily during the last decade, with the accusation the Scottish champions secured the plots at a knock-down rate.
Last year, the council agreed to sell land valued at more than £750,000 to Celtic.
The claim was this put Celtic at a competitive advantage over other clubs.
The club's Lennoxtown training centre, built on the grounds of the former Lennox Castle Hospital in East Dunbartonshire and formerly owned by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, was not part of the complaint to the Commission.
Celtic had always claimed the allegations were "baseless", adding that suggestions it had been the beneficiary of state aid were "preposterous".
It had also insisted the land deals were negotiated with the council on commercial terms at market rates.
It is understood the complaint had been brought to Europe by individual supporters of Celtic's historic city rivals Rangers.
Although never a political issue in Scotland, one prominent Northern Ireland MP, the DUP's Gregory Campbell, said he had requested that party colleagues in the European Parliament raise the matter "on a number of occasions".
In an online interview Mr Campbell, who is also the Northern Ireland Assembly's minister for culture, arts and leisure, added that the matter had not been given prominence in Scotland due to "politicians relying on Celtic-minded voters and media coverage to get re-elected".
A council spokesman said, "We are pleased that the Commission has found in our favour following its consideration of the claims of State Aid."
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "The Commission have decided not to pursue this matter further and are informing the complainants directly. The UK authorities and Glasgow City Council have been informed of the Commission's decision."
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