Celery banned at British ballpark

In my favorite sports story of the day, supporters of English soccer powerhouse Chelsea F.C. have been forbidden from bringing celery - yes, the vegetable - into the stadium. From the Guardian article:

Chelsea have banned celery from Stamford Bridge and ordered fans to stop throwing it during matches after the Football Association launched an investigation into instances of salad tossing at their recent matches.

"Salad tossing." I love it.

Says the article:

Blues fans have been bringing the vegetable to games for over two decades in homage to their terrace chant 'Celery', but the club reminded them today that throwing the vegetable was, in fact a criminal offence.

And what's this "terrace chant" the Chelsea fans sing during the game?

Celery, Celery,

If she don't come,

I'll tickle her bum,

With a lump of celery.

That's it. What that has to do with soccer, or Chelsea, or anything, really, I have no idea. I just think it's hysterical that something as innocuous as celery is now banned from the stadium. But the Chelsea club is serious. Here's a posting on their web site:

The throwing of anything at a football match, including celery, is a criminal offence for which you can be arrested and end up with a criminal record. In future, if anyone is found attempting to bring celery into Stamford Bridge they could be refused entry and anyone caught throwing celery will face a ban.

They even offer a hotline for fans to narc on other fans who smuggle celery into the game. Priceless.