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From the Heald: Brian Wilson: SNP hammered hospitality but guaranteed George Square chaos IT may be unfashionable to point out but football can create really joyous occasions. Take last Saturday’s FA Cup Final at Wembley with 21,500 people in the stadium, an intimation that normality is again conceivable. There was an emotional quality to the singing of Abide With Me, dedicated to victims of the pandemic. “When other helpers fail and comforts flee; Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me”. Old words with special meaning as people came together after so long, in this way. Then there was the game itself, turning on two acts of beauty – the goal from Youri Tielemans which won it and the save from Kasper Schmeichel that thwarted Chelsea. So Leicester, one of our cities hardest hit by the pandemic, had its morale lifted to the heavens. The occasion was possible through a balanced approach to risk. Putting 21,500 people into Wembley’s open air must carry a scintilla of risk. But keeping them out and playing this special game behind closed doors would surely have done far more harm than good. In Scotland, such thinking is taboo. Even before the latest Glasgow shutdown, there were to be just 600 supporters inside Hampden for the Scottish Cup Final. Now the vast terraces will be empty. To what good effect or elimination of risk, I wonder? Last Friday I was in Glasgow Airport, a place of eerie silence these days but suddenly raucous sound announced the arrival of a flight from Belfast which disgorged a platoon of Rangers tops, clearly here for a party. I should make clear the colour of tops is irrelevant to the thrust of my argument. If anyone had doubts, this confirmed that the following day’s celebrations were going to be a big event attracting supporters from far and near. Given that entry to Ibrox stadium was precluded, the logic pointed to a big event somewhere else – ie the streets, bridges and squares of Glasgow. Who had decided that this was a good – or at least, less bad – idea? It seemed basic common sense – which would have applied equally regardless of which club had something to celebrate – that the thousands congregating in Glasgow should be allowed to do so in their preferred environment, their own stadium. The choice was not between whether or not people would congregate; only where. I have still to hear any rational explanation of why it was thought preferable for this to happen in the aforementioned streets, bridges and squares where, as soon transpired, absolutely no rules would apply, than within the confines of a stadium where they all wanted to be and within which some degree of regulation would have been possible. Then, while I was waiting for my flight, a friend in the hospitality industry phoned in despair to tell me about the latest disaster – the decision not to move Glasgow down to level 2. At this point, the contrast between what everyone knew was going to happen the following day and the latest extension of Glasgow’s lockdown moved from being merely irrational to grotesque. I have never quite understood why it is forbidden to have a glass of wine with a meal within permitted hours. However, the idea this would continue to be banned in Glasgow on public health grounds while the same politicians and experts had put exclusion from a football stadium before all the blatantly obvious risks inherent in the alternative now appeared incomprehensible and irresponsible. Yet who does one turn to for an explanation? Who can the beleaguered hospitality industry ask for the right of appeal, based on reason? In what respect is the public health advice in England different to that in Scotland? There are so many questions and after more than a year of this, so few detailed, satisfactory answers. The decision makers hide behind the mantra that anyone who challenges their edicts is less interested than themselves in public health or protecting the community. That has never been true and should have been called out long before now. The longer this goes on, the more urgent the need for scrutiny. Keeping Glasgow closed is a blunt instrument which fails to recognise vast differences within its boundaries. Concentrating on postcode areas seems more sensible than relying on boundaries which were drawn in the 1990s for entirely different reasons – primarily to keep more prosperous areas out of Glasgow. The idea that people are not going to travel from Glasgow for a meal in Bearsden or Kilmacolm does not accord with reality. So the major impact of this blanket ban within the confines of the city is not to limit the spread of the virus but to put another nail in the coffins of good, responsible businesses that are struggling to survive. If the politicians believe their own rhetoric, why did they not act last Friday to limit the public health damage from the Rangers party? Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf could have made a recording of his pious strictures to be released around 6pm. and then taken the rest of Saturday off. What did he expect in George Square? Community singing of Abide with Me? Ditto the First Minister who should surely have seen the need for containment within her own constituency? The lesson is that while it is easy to ban things it is within your authority to ban, a greater talent is required for seeing a bigger picture – and that is what they made a complete mess of last weekend.

It's come to something when Brian Wilson sounds reasonable and moderate to Rangers fans. It's a fair article and raises some good points.

Many thanks as always @Rick Roberts An early walk to the stadium with a friend was met with fair weather and pockets of fans and flags drawn to the occasion. Crowds had already formed along Edmiston Drive. The party had started long before and was already in full swing for many by late morning. The police were present in numbers and their policy was stand-off and fair. There’s something surreal about standing outside a football ground with thousands of people whilst a game unfolds relatively unwatched inside. If anything this quirk added to the occasion. Not that it needed any more, there was enough energy and emotion for several title parties – brought by each and every person, all wanting to be part of history. Cheers would erupt as the goals went in. Beaming smiles obligatory. The movement of limbs on the horizon would indicate that another chant would radiate in this direction and wash over the crowd in the very near future. And then that uncontainable emotion and joy would erupt again. The imagery provided by the coloured plumes rushing out from the smoke bombs – a billowing outpouring of fascinating red and blue magic that demands to be watched, that heightens the experience and accents the crowd as our crowd. Fireworks crackle and boom from all directions. Hats, scarves and hands form the skyline that the photographs will capture and preserve. Half-bottles of Buckfast distinguish the young team (and some of the old team). The lamp posts silently challenge the young men to climb them. The metal barriers around the new site of Edmiston house challenge young men to move aside and the site site is soon filled with overflow from a crowd that has been steadily growing for many hours now. I make a point of trying to absorb every spectacle and savour every available moment. The last time I was at Ibrox in similar circumstances was 11 years before and I’ll never take that occasion for granted again. A decade of absence gives a sharp appreciation of what can be lost in the blink of an eye. News filters through that the trophy has now been delivered and lifted. It is ours. We are the Champions. Glasgow Rangers are Champions. This team, this title, this manager are special. The crowd are on the move and the city centre beckons. Football is nothing without a crowd and the best crowds are the ones where the energy sits on the edge between euphoria and danger. Everybody’s world view, circumstances, standards are valid and they are entitled to that. We’ve has a season of positivity and praise; I want that to last forever. And so, we need to talk about what is allowed under a Rangers banner. Some stuff goes without saying. Physical violence or lawlessness is inexcusable. If you’re rolling about fighting or smashing bottles in the middle of the city then you are on your own. Learn your lesson in your own time, not behind a Rangers crest. This was a very small number out of tens of thousands and, in such numbers, was perhaps inevitable, as much as it's also wrong. The next part should be obvious by now too and I don’t think we can ignore it. Songs or chants that damage Rangers or show Rangers in a poor light are on the way out and have to stop. We are here because of Steven Gerrard and his players and the club. Gerrard talks about standards. His team has devoted themselves to those standards. They’ve applied an almost unthinkable level of dedication. Every single Rangers great has talked about standards, about representing the club and doing the best for the club. That is the over-arching message that leads to our shared success. F-T-P isn’t that. Religion should be challenged and ridiculed, often, but it’s not Rangers' place to do that. I know that for most of it is banter or defiance, it doesn’t matter. Whether it was valid or was before is beside the point, because it’s not now. Let’s face facts, the enemy has changed clothes since those days and any chants are now against their empty shirts. Worse than that, these chants are now against many in our own squad and support. This is several own goals at once. Make no mistake, our enemies want this to continue. Everyone has the right to support and follow the club in whatever way they choose but there’s an equation that needs balanced at some point. If your way of supporting the club damages the very entity you follow then you’re doing it wrong. One thing I hear a lot is traditions and an immobility surrounding those. Let me tell you where short-sighted, stubbornness gets you. Look at the empty or repurposed church buildings in every town and city. Here’s the symbol for institutions that refused to change or that didn’t want to heed that the world had changed. Empty buildings and diminishing influence, to the point of insignificance and oblivion. Take that lesson hard, my friends, because I won’t see that happen to Rangers for some pig-headed adherence to any arbitrary, ill-informed, self-defeating value or tradition. Rangers' tradition is winning. Our job is to assist and enable that tradition. Forever. Do not fail the club. On a personal level, I couldn’t care less if people choose to express their dislike of our historic enemies in their own free time. Our enemies are actively engaged in a war against us, they deserve contempt. The actions of some in the press, specifically, the BBC, STV, writers at the Scotsman, Clyde FM, the SFA, and more worryingly Police Scotland and in the position of Justice Secretary, are down to our enemies taking up positions and opening fire. Sometimes with fabricated nonsense and sometimes with ammunition that we’ve provided. To retaliate we need get our message clear and get smarter. Roaring at old ladies queuing up outside a café isn’t smarter. It achieves less than nothing. It damages Rangers. A big, mindless, negative number. But what I’m really concerned about is what happens next. UEFA and the Scottish press will be all over us at our next European game. Domestically I expect the goalposts may change too. And as a support we have to concede that nothing has changed enough in the 15 years since The Billy Boys started getting us in trouble. A strategy to replace or displace across the board was required. We’ve collectively failed as we have many in a new generation that have picked up that bad habit, along with other bad habits. Here’s the nightmare scenario. First game of the Champions' League we get Ibrox closed because some clown can’t handle his drink, doesn’t know where he is and opens his stupid, unthinking mouth. I don’t think anyone would find that acceptable, and yet at this moment in time it’s more likely than not at some stage soon. That aspect of the culture within the support has to change to the extent that this cannot be allowed to happen. The new 'Every Saturday We Follow' song is excellent. The pyro on banks of the Clyde on Friday night is one of the most impressive football spectacles I’ve ever seen. We are at an exciting and historic place as a club. The environment should be fertile for new songs and positivity – unstoppable positivity. Only Rangers. Collectively we have to learn and find a way to filter that through to every section of the support. This situation has partly arose through disengagement and a lack of leadership and communication to our wider communities and society. The solution surely lies in addressing that? I made a point to myself on Saturday of not singing anything that I wouldn’t sing in the stadium. I noticed plenty others did too. I have no firm answers on how to bring everyone up to speed with what has to happen and the club cannot be accountable for behaviour well outside its stadium footprint. Can we put the 15th of May down as an inevitable and necessary release? An exception? Perhaps. But it’ll need introspective and leadership to move on from that place. Some stuff needs left behind quickly.

Allegedly

For fucks' sake, how to ruin the day.

That's a bit over the top. Gerrard says 'listen' a lot too. Adam has been ok as a pundit. Talking about vocab skills I'm fed up hearing "he has WENT for the ball." Doesn't the past participle exist in Scotland? If you want to criticise someone's vocab. skills.

I believe that the lesson has been largely learned from most sections in the support. You can never get 100% buy-in. That's just not possible, but by-and-large, there's been progress made. However I'm presuming that a majority of those causing the trouble weren't regulars at Ibrox. They were the ones that turn up once a season for a European night, half-cut and coked up, that the club has virtually no direct interaction with. They don't visit the club's website. They don't read the club's statements. I don't see what the club can do to reach these people. It's just not possible.

Great read, well penned, much appreciated.

Any of the fans that engaged in public disorder should face the consequences. But I don't remember Yousaf being so keen to press that message home in 2019 when his team secured the treble. I was unfortunate enough to have been out for a meal with my Mrs that evening - Timmy fans banging on the restaurant window, pissing on the pavement, hollering their IRA "folk songs", scrapping in the street - it was fuckiing rotten. There's plenty of evidence on YouTube of what took place that day - but, drunk and disorderly behaviour, public urination, sectarian singing, piles of litter the following morning - all these things that upset Humza so much, strangely, don't seem to be quite such a big deal to him when there's a green and grey colour scheme.

I also had a letter and when I went to compare both articles I realised I had only saved a link which took me to the updated 18th May one. When I read the updated one it was obvious the most extreme language had been removed. I find it incredible the editor allowed it in the first place.

He might have thought about doing so but his future is a long long time.

Yeah, thought the same when I read the article. Also surprised to read Gary Ritchie, the assistant chief constable, has compared the asylum seeker and Palestine protests in Glasgow to the Rangers fans celebrations, branding them all 'selfish'. Which is clearly flys in the face of the SNP instructions and narrative

Fuck me this news has taken the shine of a handsome treble I have just had up think I will also give tea a miss as well .

Personally I dont like the idea of fans criticising other "fans" sure small group of people behaved in a outrageous manner on Saturday, but I would say that after 10 years of crap thrown at them from the press all the football authorities and just about every other club in the land not to mention the skullduggery from the eastenders then the only thing I would say to the fans if you want to fight each other do it away from prying eyes smartphones and members of the easily shocked public

The exit poll suggests a clear victory for a very deserving winner.

There's a spurious belief that society should be built on equality and some mysterious concept called "fairness". Unfortunately, actual equality doesn't exist in nature and nor should it because if it did then evolution and social progress would be impossible. Inequality is therefore a necessary and natural function of life. Fairness is really just an arbitrary description of our emotional compensation for inequality. Why is all this relevant here? The point is rightly made that it is foolish and frustrating to expect all fans to embrace the majority compliance with current standards of behaviour, either intellectually or emotionally, and it's worth considering why that's indeed the case. In fact, it's a useful basis for dealing with people in all aspects of social life. The graph shows a normal distribution curve, which is known to describe the distribution of intellectual ability across a human population. It shows that over 95%of all people fall within two standard deviation of mean intelligence. In a broad sense, while the top and bottom ends of this spread will be quite different, this majority generally share a common interpretation of the world and communicate effectively with each other. Where things tend to come unglued is at the extreme ends of this spectrum, with profound difficulties interpreting the world and complying with what most of us would call normal behaviour. Hence perhaps @MacK1950's neighbouring spectator. The corollary of this is that appealing to the better judgement of someone who is effectively a different intellectual species is inevitably a complete waste of time and usually leads to confrontation. Beyond the natural diversity of intelligence, and the divergence of understanding that it leads to, overlies the absolute minefield of emotional stability. Combine the two and it's hardly rocket science to see that in any random group of people there will almost always be a few who act differently and frequently at odds with the mainstream. No matter the efforts made to achieve universal standards of behaviour among people (in this case Rangers fans) there will always be a minority who find compliance impossible and this has to be borne in mind when setting expectations and strategies. Inevitably, exclusion is the most effective response but, since people don't wear signs of their foreheads, there will inevitably continue to be an influx of similarly non-compliant individuals.

This isn't a Scottish election. The highest standards are maintained for Gersnet polls.

It's libel without question. Our legal eagles should go for her.

I hope the Club would endorse that article, send it to the SG and ask them if they think the author represents the majority of Rangers supporters. He speaks for me on this.

I have absolutely no doubt that if septic had won this year, the Scottish government would have bent over backwards to "facilitate the fans in a safe celebration of their team's glorious sporting achievement." Fans in the stadium, and probably a jumbo screen and stewarding at Glasgow Green.

Funnily enough, her Editor has responded to complaints from Rangers fans (backing her) but editing the original article removing the parts that left him wide open to being sued by Rangers execs. Trust someone still has the original article!

We should be taking her editor to court, if anyone. Her Tweets are fairly run-of-the-mill for a nationalist imbecile (although I must add that her nose makes Rod Stewart's look small and she appears to have borrowed Brian Connolly's wig).

It’s not amusing mate. She calls Rangers sectarian. Should be taking her to court.

So in Helen's world, Unionists waving Union Flags are vile extremists, whereas her uncle being in the IRA is something to boast about. That really sums up Scottish nationalism quite nicely.

Ambush! This Saturday, the Premiership trophy will be held aloft by James Tavernier, BBC Scotland will NOT attend Ibrox to report on the end of our particular journey. There will be some platitudes offered by the disinterested, there will be the obligatory mention of Steven Gerrard only securing one trophy in nine and, there will be impatient haste to move matters on to the awaiting, primed ambush. Thistle fans celebrated their League 1 title win amid fireworks, Palestinian supporters gathered in George Square on Tuesday evening and, the Yahoo collective gathered for the Broonaldo goodbye. No masks, no social distancing and, no reporting by the national Broadcaster. A successful ambush requires two stop groupings and a killing group. A couple of senior Police Scotland representatives have made pleas and the Justice Secretary, Humza Yousaf has revealed he has endured liaisons with the Club; keeping our families safe is the message. There is no point in paying attention to detail, a freedom of information request by Rangers supporters to reveal the extent of liaison between Club and Police Scotland when we won the league several weeks past, has resulted in 18 pages of A4 being released, 17 fully redacted. Apparently, the First Minister has no recall? The initiation will come from one of the usual suspects, probably Cosgrove; he has already quashed whataboutery, "simply, they are a disgrace". The trigger fingers of the killing group will squeeze until the empty klick, then the reorganisation will involve lots of empathy for Police Scotland, both Calum Steele and David Hamilton have already provided Chris McLaughlin with numerous quotes. From atop the moral high ground the artillery of perceived morality will reign and feelings of superiority will mask ra Sellik's implosion and Scotland's second best team, Aberdeen finishing fourth for the third successive season. A Change of Phase. The most crucial aspect of an ambush is preparation. PQ has been preparing the ground for ..... well forever. Two weekends past, the social media blackout in support of anti-racism was consuming 48 hours. BBC Radio Scotland had a 25 minute discussion on the merits and success of such a protest. Big Dick hosted the contributions and nothing notable was added, then Michael Stewart offered a well rehearsed diatribe. The real problem in Scotland is sectarianism(Mark Walters debut did not happen); however, we must note things have improved in Scotland(Morelos does not exist), "things are improving all the time". A necessary sop to 14 years of Nationalistic governance. The man who lamented Rangers pursuing both Ross County's Gardyne for homophobic comments and Slavia Prague's Kudela for racist utterance declared, "sectarianism is racism". Prepared ground right there, the only organisation I have seen promoting such a phrase, is Angela Haggerty and Jeanette Findlay's, 'Call it Out'. Sectarianism is racism is the change of phase that will see the next stick the boot into the H-u-ns free fun. All other contributors to this discussion, including the Chair, Big Dick let his concluding comments go unchallenged. Manager of the Year? Last weekend had Big Dick Host another round robin discussion on Manager of the Year on BBC Radio Scotland. We had fifteen minutes of the usual suspects chorusing Calum Davidson as the only candidate. Apparently, guiding one's club into two national finals in the same season is a stick on for Manager of the Year. Pity, no one informed the three different Rangers managers securing Trebles in the last forty-odd years, and still NOT securing the award. I agree that Davidson has performed particularly well in his first managerial season, but I will leave it to the national broadcaster's final contributor, Derek Ferguson to make Steven Gerrard's case. In silence, he pointed out Gerrard's European record, as well as remaining undefeated in the league and, being 55 points in front of St Johnstone. Of course, corresponding budgets were mentioned and Ferguson pointed out Saints defeating Kelty Hearts, Peterhead and Brechin City in the League Cup group stages was hardly comparable to Rangers conquering Benfica, Standard Liege and, Poznan. Further, Rangers topped their group and the last three seasons results have ensured Scotland has five places in European competition next season. Oh Derek, having a son playing at Aberdeen will not protect you. You have got in the way of expediency, at PQ interviewing Calum Davidson is a lot easier than talking to Steven Gerrard. Anyways, the disgust is on the rise; Big Dick spent last evening on Open All Mikes expressing his displeasure at Rangers penalty and supporters letting off fireworks at the 55th minute. There was no live commentary on the Champions, it was reserved for the best footballing side against the potential second best Scots club in the last decade, at Sellik Park. It will be the same this coming Saturday, PQ will be at Easter Road. We pay our License Fees, we don not receive the service and, we wonder if an Ambush can be triggered by proxy?

It appears that the bold Helen Martin has deleted her Twitter account after tweeting that all tourists should stay away from Edinburgh. Apparently the locals loathe the tourists and Edinburgh wants independence. Link to her article also appears to have been removed, but it may be link to the unedited article.

Mon the dark blues, time Killie and their dreadful surface were banished to ther financial armaggegon that inevitably awaits them.

All the best @the gunslinger I hope you have a fantastic day and life together. As long as you can still go and see The Rangers all will be good in the world!

He also did a great version of "Sloop John B".

Of course most of the fans behaved well but how many people who misbehaved were actual fans and not just some neds using the day as an excuse for a blowout after a years incarceration by the Scottish government

getting rid of 2 plastic pitches in week would be great .

A great read and sensible article so many thanks. I look forward to getting back to games and hope the Club educate the stewards on how to handle anything obscene. I say this because someone in and around the area where I sit in the SJ stand continuously shouts out about "****** bastards" and would like the stewards to identify him and take action,if not by themselves at least identify to the police. This would be a good start IMO.

Tremendous article. No matter how difficult the challenge we need to get the message across to those who still don't get it or care that Rangers is a changed institution. Don't wear the shirt if you don't agree. We also need to get across the positive message about all the club has done to effect change and all the good it does in the wider community. It is sad that none of the good is recognised.

A nodding FM from down Niger Did smile as she rode on her tiger; They returned from the ride With the lady inside, And the smile on the face of the tiger.

I had a quick look when the poorly written article first appeared. It's amusing to witness people so enraged by our very existence. Her best friend is probably a cat.

Not far behind 47 this year?

Shouldn't Mrs Compo and I have been together 49 years a longer sentence than the Yorkshire ripper

He isn't. Several of the squad are though and regularly bless themselves on the park.

Its also worth remembering that our esteemed Justice Secretary still refuses to meet / talk to survivors (and their families) of child abuse at a certain football / boys club. That's right, he refuses to speak to victims of child abuse. Let that sink in and ask yourself why?

Where was Humza when Irvine Welsh was going on about 'currant buns' and dismembering Alfie?

A new low for Scotland, for this SNP Government and sadly, Police Scotland. Hell mend those of us who voted for them, clearly a political based assault on Rangers and our fans who are seen as the last bastion of Unionism. Its now open warfare, be careful which side you chose.