Celtic stepped up the club's `Bhoys against Bigotry' campaign, first launched two years ago to try to clamp down on sectarian chants from supporters.

Celtic managing director Fergus McCann and general manager Jock Brown were joined by church, education and media figures to appeal for schools to teach "respect, tolerance and understanding", and for the public to act strongly against bigoty.

The Glasgow club have already made a written undertaking to work against sectarianism including the expulsion and banning of guilty fans from the ground. In other areas Celtic have pledged financial support for a children's holiday scheme in Northern Ireland for deprived children of both Protestant and Catholic communities.