Celtic have called for parts of a controversial law designed to stamp out sectarian abuse at football matches in Scotland to be repealed.

The club has made the call as thousands sign a new campaign for the scrapping of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 on the grounds that it is "fundamentally illiberal and unnecessarily restricts freedom of expression".

Celtic have spoken out after meeting with the supporters group Fans Against Criminalisation which aims to lobby the Scottish Government to repeal the Act.

Celtic said: "We believe that the Act has the potential to discriminate against football supporters.

"Celtic continues to oppose the Act and, as a contribution to the Scottish Government's review of the Act, met recently with the Scottish Government to explain our position.

"We proposed that at a minimum certain offences under the Act should be repealed. Celtic also recently met with Fans Against Criminalisation to discuss how to take this issue forward.

"We wait with interest the findings of the forthcoming review and trust that it will be the full, transparent and in-depth review that football fans expect."

Thousands have already backed a petition newly launched in advance of the August deadline for the government review of the law. That is when Stirling University researchers are due to publish their findings into how the law is operating.

The FAC organised a mass rally attended by thousands in 2013 to protest at what were then new laws.

The Scottish Government pushed through the Act in a bid to get tough on sectarianism in the aftermath of the Old Firm 'shame game' in 2011.

Holyrood introduced the legislation in January 2012 and promised a re-examination after two full football seasons of operation and to report back to Parliament one year later.

The new move comes a matter of weeks after it emerged Lord Carloway, the Lord Justice Clerk rejected an appeal by two fans who were convicted of charges surrounding the singing of the pro-IRA Roll of Honour song at a match between Hibs and Celtic at Easter Road on October 19, 2013. He rejected a claim that a charge under the controversial law led to the contravention of two convicted fans' human rights.

In February, last year, the Irish Brigade band were asked by the FAC to cover the Roll of Honour Irish rebel song to highlight their opposition to the Act. It reached the UK Top 40 Singles chart.

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has previously raised the "potential lack of legal certainty" over the Act as required by Articles six and seven of the European Convention on Human Rights during the legislation's formation.

It highlighted European Court of Human Right cases which found: "An offence must be clearly defined in law. This condition is satisfied where the individual can know from the wording of the relevant provision and, if need be, with the assistance of the court's interpretation of it, what acts and omissions will make him liable."

SHRC also stressed the fundamental importance of the right to freedom of expression and the role of Parliament in ensuring that the restrictions on this right contained in the Bill met the tests of legality, legitimate aim and proportionality.

Almost half of all people taken to court last year under the laws designed to stamp out sectarian abuse at football matches were acquitted, figures show.

There was action taken against 161 people in 2013/14 with not guilty outcomes in 74 cases (48 per cent).

FAC describes itself as "an independent umbrella group comprising the Green Brigade, Celtic Trust, Celtic Supporters Association, Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters Clubs and Association of Irish Celtic Supporters Clubs.