I always enjoy it when the media pats itself on the back, although they’re constantly playing catch-up with Celtic fan sites and forums. It was our media, fan media, not theirs, that first picked up on the story about the Ibrox casuals honouring a cocaine-dealing hooligan during their game against Lyon. And now, lo and behold, a national newspaper has finally picked up the story.
It’s amazing how much slips under the radar here in Scotland. This isn’t even an isolated incident from that particular game; in the same match they paid tribute to, believe it or not, a computer game from the early 2000s called Hooligans: Storm Over Europe. Their banner was titled Rangers Storm Over Europe, which is like getting two jokes for the price of one—a defunct club linked to an outdated, rubbish video game.
A “storm over Europe?” Don’t make me laugh. If this is their attempt to play at being an elite group of hooligans, then all I can say is that nothing says “terror of Europe” quite like dozens of blokes marching through the Gallowgate at 8am in gimp outfits.
They make themselves a laughingstock, and the media does the same by staying ignorant of these things.
There’s something deeply wrong in that support, something that goes beyond embarrassment. We can laugh when they behave like clowns, but we must also recognise when they cross into something far more dangerous.
These people are dangerous.
Sure, we get a rise out of their idiocy from time to time, but their behaviour is increasingly rooted in right-wing ideology, and they dabble in riskier and riskier actions. I wrote recently about them launching a firework towards the pitch—this fan base gravitates toward the extremes.
One of the reasons they’ve become so degenerate over time is that the club makes no effort to rein them in. There’s been no statement about the firework incident, nor about the banners, just as there wasn’t one when they displayed a tifo of an immigrant-hating psychopath from Gangs of New York last season. The message was clear, and yet it was allowed. The Scottish media barely touched it, and the club didn’t say a word. You sometimes wonder if they actively encourage the worst aspects of their support. They certainly do nothing to curb it—and that’s a stone-cold fact.
UEFA will almost certainly punish them over the fireworks. Whether they’ll face sanctions for the banners is less certain, but the club should never have allowed those kinds of banners in the first place. I find it astonishing that an organisation allegedly seeking outside investment would allow itself to be associated with such extremism. But this is the Ibrox club to a tee—you never know what fresh horror its fans will cook up.
It’s hardly worth saying that the media would tear Celtic apart if even the faintest whiff of this kind of behaviour was found among our support. This is the same press that crucified us over flying Palestinian flags and falsely claimed that our fans drove Liel Abada out of the club. Nothing of the sort happened, but that hasn’t stopped them airing the allegation at every opportunity.
In some ways, I’m almost grateful for the media’s scrutiny of our fanbase. It means that sooner or later, any unruly element has to be confronted. But they could do us all a favour by focusing a bit more on the fanbase across the city. That support is poisonous, and it’s dangerous in a way Celtic’s support will never be.
Some in the media actively feed into the extreme views held by Ibrox fans, legitimising the “survival” and “victim” lies that have infected their ranks. They genuinely believe their so-called culture is under siege. And when people believe that, they can start justifying almost anything to defend it. The press fails to grasp how dangerous this is, and that makes them complicit.
The truth is that their culture is tolerated far more than it should be. It’s a culture rooted in bigotry and hatred, and if it won’t change, then I wouldn’t be against measures to dismantle it. But no such actions have been taken, and no such policies are in place.
There is no grand conspiracy against them. The Unseen Fenian Hand doesn’t exist; Hell, if it did and we had the power they ascribe to us then not a brick of Ibrox would still be standing. There would be a shiny Tesco in its place, all done up in its green and white. But the press continues to feed this narrative, fuelling a mindset that is already manifestly unhealthy.
I’m glad to see that some outlets are finally reporting on the true meaning behind those banners. It’s long overdue. But it’s not enough for the media to raise the issue if nothing will be done.
UEFA will act, as that’s what they do. The SFA and SPFL don’t have the courage to confront it. But the club should. If they see themselves as a responsible organisation, they should be the loudest voice condemning these actions. They’ll bear the brunt of their support’s renegade behaviour soon enough.
When a section of our own fanbase crossed the line, we dealt with it. What have they done to set their house in order? Even their conduct over the away tickets stand-off has been reprehensible, playing to the worst of their gallery of goons, using every trick in the book to avoid negotiation and showing no good faith instead of tackling their crazies and making their ground safe.
This attitude runs from the top of their house down. Make no mistake about it.
Graham Spiers, on his latest podcast, reminded everyone of the John Gilligan incident, where he was removed from the Herald after standing up to sectarianism. His story about how Gilligan praised The Billy Boys in full view of Stewart Robertson is shocking. What happened next was even worse. When the club leaned on The Herald because Spiers had dared to mention that in an article the paper accepted his version of events but still insisted he withdraw the claim.
Spiers chose to resign instead. Fair play to him for that. I remember the incident vividly because myself and the bloggers of that time demanded that his colleagues stand with him on it and show some solidarity. Only a handful ever did. One of them was Angela Haggerty; she too resigned rather than work at a title which would force one of its own writers into such a humiliating situation even though the editors accepted that he was in the right.
It shames the Scottish media to this day, and it shames most of his so-called colleagues who kept their heads down and let him take the bullets. Disgusting.
The fact that Gilligan is now acting chairman at Ibrox speaks volumes, and this is why Spiers has recently brought the story back into the public sphere. It’s clear the club has ingrained attitudes that go all the way to the boardroom.
How can we expect the fans to behave when the club shows no moral character or leadership? But with the team underperforming on the pitch, the last thing they can afford to do is alienate their hardcore support, especially when they rely so much on the “Bigot Pound.”
It is high time our “governing bodies” took a lead on this stuff, and if Scottish football doesn’t act, the government should consider steps to fix this. I’m tired of sharing the Scottish game with this kind of element. I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
It’s possible the Ibrox club is waiting to see if UEFA will act before making their own statement. But they shouldn’t have to wait. Some things are just plain wrong, and they should know that. Unless, of course, they don’t think these things are wrong at all.
re last sentence James. You got there in the end! A shed load of incidents in the past with nowt done except for UEFA intervention from time to time but the powers that be in the Scottish game not a peep. It was ever thus.
the two george square riots was proof if any was needed when the authorities did nothing. also dont forget gilligan and his watp statement. another ned on the board said scores to settle on and off the park and not one of the gutless asked him exactly what he meant. last season a game at dens park was held up due to pyros smoke bombs etc and the sfa did what they always do regarding this mob SFA.
Gilligan did make one very fatal error Scousebhoy…
In the 2016 Scottish Cup Semi Final where Sevco defeated Celtic on penalties he allegedly gave it Billy Boys in a Billy Big Balls manner in a harmony for directors after the game and it was clear that Dermot Desmond, Lawwell and Lord Lucan-Nicholson were the targets…
Now while Gilligan and his ilk throw million after million of the grandchildren’s inheritance at Sevco in a desperate and so far extremely futile attempt to keep up with Scotland’s most successful club Celtic they are only in reality back street alley corner shop boys in comparison to the genuine billionaire that is Mr Desmond…
And when you poke an Irish Giant such as Fin McCool and all that the consequences of one’s folly ain’t good at all…
As Gilligan found out when one Irish giant took another Irish giant as his wingman and he’s never recovered since…
Silly Silly Billy Billy ye were Gilligan !
More like kulture, Gilligan is there at the front leading the rabid hoards by way of their rancid behaviour and as usual the 1 sided media whores have chosen their side , hell mend them , they’ve chosen to follow, follow them into the gutter.
The sewers are too good for that manky bunch.
More like a wet fart over Europe.
Matthew Lindsay had an article in the Herald last Friday (the morning after the game) regarding the UB tifos.
‘Members of the Union Bears unfurled banners which read “No Surrender LC + AW” and “Rangers Riot Crew” during the first half and ignited a number of red flares.
It has since been suggested online that LC is Lloyd Cross, who was jailed for six years on Wednesday for his part in an organised crime plot to smuggle £100m of cocaine into Scotland from South America.
AW is Arran Watt, who was arrested and charged after the female St Johnstone SLO was pushed to the ground and had her drum forcibly taken off her before a game back in August. Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear.’
It’s available to read at – https://archive.is/qb4Vf
In credit for once to anything Sevco related – But on Wallow Wallow they had a thread discussing the actions of The Onion Bears and the vast majority of them – save for one or two attempting to reach the top of The Staunchometer – were in condemnation of their actions and banners (They probably know The UEFA consequences coming down the pipe towards Sevco)…
That they (from within their own sordid walls so to speak) were prepared to rise above the parapet and condemn them while The Scummy’s of The Scummy Scottish Football Media and their very close friends from The SFA and The SPFL stayed as silent as a library or a cemetery says all you need to know about the state play in NOT so very Bonnie Scotland !
how did they honour ” a cocaine dealing hooligan”
Expecting a club/board like them to do the right thing morally, is pushing it a bit. We could all come up with numerous examples of times where they could have acted better, but they choose not to. They prefer to remain stuck in the bigotry of the 17th century. They will do nothing as usual. Same with SFA etc and what is loosely known as mainstream Scottish media.
If they, the responsible bodies and club representatives, ever hold that bag of shite to account then they’ll have even less supporters at the midden than the sight of their ever decreasing fan base. Their part empty ground and empty seats highlights the depth of despair they’re falling into.
Was there really a need to make ground improvements for fans when there’s so much room there to accommodate them
The klan desire a set up that has their ain leading the charge. Like an article you had a few week’s back James, I cannot ever see this change and they are tethered to a false past designed to counteract Celtic’s popularity at the turn of the last century.
Since then they have adopted many more Kulchural references in the monarchy, Britishness (Englishness), Poppies and the British army and some I wouldn’t want to see the light of day. Strange bunch and still they make friends along the way, ah the Banter!!
They missed a trick in Big Mike running their business and as a Celtic man I am glad they did. The real Ranjurz men made sure those business minded rats were removed and replaced with their ain. That plan has worked well eh| Long may it continue.
How Gilligan has had any success in business defeats me, I can only imagine a certain handshake has seen him well over the years. I can’t even say he talks a good game.!
The governing bodies in Scotland are unlikely to ever act on this unless UEFA force them. Westminster might, but it’s a long shot. You are quite correct about the iBrox club implicitly encouraging it by their silence: in the 70s and 80s their board – composed entirely of the staunchest of the staunch – would dissociate themselves from the worst elements of their following whenever there was a riot or other fan behaviour outrage, and while it wouldn’t exactly remedy the problem it would at least keep the lid on the worst excesses. Now they are one stage short of dog-whistling to them.
The most effective solution to this social problem lies with ironically with Celtic: keep the pressure on, don’t let them back in even a tenth of an inch. Overtake the trophy haul, get the fabled Ten, play to full houses and do better commercial deals than them. Be so far ahead of them that we are THE Scottish Club, like Bayern, PSG or Juventus in their leagues. Interest in them will dwindle, their crowds will reduce – if supremacy is your breakfast of choice, Sevco will become an increasingly poor vehicle for it. They will become the size of Hearts. Then Dundee. Then Kilmarnock. Then Raith Rovers. Then Queen of The South. OK, Cowdenbeath may be stretching a point, but you get the idea. The solution to this blight on the national game and the country itself – if our “custodians” want it – is in our own hands….. but maybe they think ‘there’s no profit in peace’ and are content with the Status Quo? Send your answers to that question on the back of a Paradise Windfall ticket to Francis Rossi, Kerrydale Street, Glasgow….
Thank Fuck that you didn’t have Clachnacuddin on the Sevco soon to be list Captain !
I should probably have gone for Cove Rangers since Cowden are – to quote Alan Partridge – ‘moribund’.
The SFA don’t have the ball’s to do anything about this. It will be the usual process of hide in the sand till it blows over like all the rest of this club’s despicable behaviour.
We’ve been on top, are on top and will be on top for the forseeable future. Yet you continue to obsess about what the newco’s fans are doing. In two words,Who cares! If you wan to write about politics you do you but please find a politcal site for it. When I come to this site I do it for football content and to try and escape the divisive politcal rhetoric of the msm. Slow news day with the international break me thinks?
A couple of points Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms. Rooney (Delete titles as appropriate)…
One Simply ALWAYS has to know their enemy – In our case Sevco and Sevco fans…
They trampled us into the ground before through cheating – They’d do it again and again in a heartbeat…
You might be ok snoozing into that secnario my friend – I’m certainly not…
The Celtic Blog is the best one going and if you wanna get a nicey nicey one where they all talk about ghosts and spectres then CQN is Probably the one for you then…
In the meantime (in my humble opinion anyway) Please James, keep exposing Sevco and The Sevco Hun Hoards And The Scummy’s of The Scummy Scottish Football Media on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly – whatever – They need held to account every second, every minute and every hour !
Well put again James thier just as bad as trump supporters and the murdering Israel monsters