Norris Cole

Saturday:

Aberden v Dundee Utd (W. Collum); Falkirk v Hamilton (C. Murray); Hearts v St Mirren (D. Somers); Inverness v Hibs (A. Muir); Rangers v Kilmarnock (B. Winter).

Sunday:

Motherwell v Celtic (I. Brines).

Spiers will be fizzing.

Beat me to it piper.

Also http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/0217/rangers.html

Rangers fans sceptical of SPL agenda

The Rangers Supporters Trust has questioned the motives of the Scottish Premier League�s unacceptable conduct policy as it awaits the latest report on fans� behaviour, this time during last weekend�s Old Firm derby.

SPL match delegate Alan Dick may mention some sectarian chants and songs that appeared to come from the away support during Sundayââ?¬â?¢s goalless draw at Celtic Park, but RST spokesman David Edgar is hoping for a balanced verdict, and insists Rangers fans are not alone in singing ââ?¬Ë?offensiveââ?¬â?¢ songs.

Dick reported Rangers to the SPL in August 2007 under similar circumstances following the Ibrox club�s trip to Inverness and, while there was no action taken, there was a warning of sanctions should there be any future complaint.

Rangers have campaigned in recent years to rid the club of its sectarian baggage but the SPL would come under pressure to punish them if they are presented with evidence of more transgressions.

However, Edgar has said another black mark against the supporters would leave the SPL�s agenda open to question.

ââ?¬Å?While it is difficult to comment until weââ?¬â?¢ve seen the report, we are looking forward to an even-handed and consistent approach to the application of this legislation,ââ?¬Â Edgar said. ââ?¬Å?We find it hard to believe that Rangers fans are the only fans in the country who have ever sung an offensive song; yet we are the only ones who have been reported under the rules.

ââ?¬Å?There were instance of distasteful chanting coming from both ends on Sunday but, yet again, the focus is only on one set of fans.

ââ?¬Å?It therefore becomes very difficult for the supporters to understand what is going on.

ââ?¬Å?Are the rules genuinely in place to eradicate offensive chanting or simply to punish Rangers?

ââ?¬Å?What about Aberdeen fans singing about the Ibrox disaster or Celtic fans singing about Nacho Novo and the IRA?

ââ?¬Å?We are committed to ridding Scottish football of all genuinely offensive chanting and Rangers fans have responded magnificently over the last couple of years.

ââ?¬Å?However, we are left with wondering if this is a rule for all the SPL clubs or a rule simply for Rangers.ââ?¬Â

Rangers escaped punishment for the Inverness affair after the SPL board took into account the club�s efforts to eradicate unacceptable conduct by some of their supporters.

The incident at the Caledonian Stadium 18 months ago came just nine days after the launch of Rangersââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬Ë?Follow With Prideââ?¬â?¢ campaign, which was aimed at cleaning up the clubââ?¬â?¢s image by ending sectarian and other abusive chanting.

However, the club had previously been fined on two occasions by Uefa for offensive chanting in Champions League and Uefa Cup matches, amounting to in excess of �£21,000.

Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist played down speculation that the Ibrox club will be up on yet another SPL charge.

McCoist, who will take control of team affairs for tomorrowââ?¬â?¢s Homecoming Scottish Cup trip to Forfar, said: ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t know enough about it.

ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t know what the delegate said in his report; Iââ?¬â?¢ve not seen anything so I wouldnââ?¬â?¢t comment on it.ââ?¬Â

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2009/0217/1224241324757.html

What you calling it then ?

Struth Park.

Or the Norris Cole Centre of Footballing Excellence:D

I'd pump it all into a renamed Murray Park and a proper PR department.

The problem for Murray as far as points deduction is concerned is that it directly affects his ability to sell the club. No championship = no Champions League = big debt and lack of selling proposition.

For all he has allowed us to be attacked in the past, I can see Murray getting involved in this if it looks like going down the points deduction road.

I still don't accept that good bears would cause uneccessary trouble for the Club. Anyway, at no time did I call anyone good or bad, maybe they are, I don't know. What makes a good bear anyway, certainly not one who puts the Club at a disadvantage.

What if this incident runs its course and we are deducted points or banned from travelling away. Then the league is lost by a single point.

Happy Days !! I think not.

As I said earlier in the thread, having got away with using every dirty trick in the book last year to win the league, if the establisment team are struggling near the end of the season the debate over points deduction will begin.

One risk for Celtic is that any punishment for us opens a can of worms in the east end. They know they are far from squeaky clean themselves, and by highlighting our faults they highlight their own. When the controversy over the Famine Song began after the 4-2 game in August, Celtic fans' singing of IRA songs was highlighted for the first time in a very long time (when Gregory Campbell MP wrote to John Reid about IRA songs continually being sung at Parkhead).

Jim Leighton

Jackie MacNamara

Zander Diamond

Gary Caldwell

Alan Thompson

Neil Lennon

Shunsuke Nakamura

Aiden McGeady

Barry Robson

Chris Sutton

Joe Harper

Manager:- Craig Levein

In all seriousness, could you imagine the reaction of the press, if SDM did allow a clued up fan loose on these people (not saying that I'm clued up!)....

 

First up, if it were me, I'd ban any reporter who printed lies about Rangers or our fans. Secondly, I would challange every negative story printed or reported in the media - this would be done by pointed out facts and done in a professional manner.

 

With Rangers employing such a high profile PR firm, you think this would be already happening. I'd save SDM a fortune....

 

Cammy F

Murray's views on the Rangers support can be kindly described as contempt. The only time he has ever, ever come out in defence of something was when it was him personally being attacked.

Having been proven to be sectarian in a court of law last year, I really think it's time we made "hun" as unacceptable as "f****n". I don't want to be accused of tit-for-tat, but in the interests of parity both sets of fans should have been reported after Sunday. The fact that this wasn't the case should tell you everything you need to know about the SPL.

M F

I've followed Rangers through good times and bad but as I said to Norris we can't turn back the clock and act as we used to. Any of the so called inflammatory songs which were supposed to have been sung on Sunday were nothing compared to what used to be sung, and that was with only the width of wired mesh separation. Sure there were incidents but rarely anything too serious.

That was then, this is now. Media everywhere just waiting to report anything considered controversial. I can't change this and neither can you. I don't like it but its here and that's a fact. It can make you and it can break you.

 

I'm totally fed up with celtic always being portrayed as the poor wee hurtit souls, I just think to match their ira chants etc with ones of our own is just giving them to chance to enhance this illusion.

Fair enough for arguing your point gordy even if I don't agree, that's the best post you've made in the thread. It's just that inferring that good Bears on here are "arseholes" will get their backs up.

For the record "tim" means Celtic to me and nothing else.

How is that a contradiction?

Because the article brings into question Mr Dick's impartiality as regards reporting sectarian singing. You can't support that view and STILL have a go at the Rangers fans who are being targetted. It's like agreeing that Rangers are being picked on while doing the same yourself. I really can't put it any more simply.

Your kind of thinking is allows others to ridicule us, they say that instead of acknowledging we do anything wrong we childishly complain that "they do it too", just how is that going to help?

Both sets of fans indulge in sectarian singing. One set of fans get hounded and reported for it. Are you happy to accept this? Are you one of the fans who thought the mopes would stop after banning The Billy Boys? What have you done to protect the Rangers support, who have you written e-mails, letters to?

It's not a question of denying our faults, it's a question of parity. I thought I had made that abundantly clear.

Were you at Sunday's game, were you singing the so called offensive songs knowing it would put our Club in the news for all the wrong reasons ?

If you were, was this in the best interests of the Club or was it simply to enhance your own reputation as a "Tim Hater"

And by the way explain nouveau supporter ? Does that mean anyone who has supported the Club for about 45 years ? If it does, I'm your man, if not shut up and visit reality now and again.

I noticed you gave Frankie thanks for posting GeneralCartmanLee's article about Alan Dick. Yet you still have a go at the very Rangers fans who are to be the subject of his report? The contradictions are piling up.

Anyone who gets in the way of letting me enjoy my football and deliberately puts MY Club in a bad light and under unnecessary pressure is a PURE ARSEHOLE. I'm sorry if this offends you in particular Norris but there's no other word to describe those people. You say you are a " Tim Hater ", well, those are the ones I hate.

I should probably ask what you mean by "tim hater" before I comment further. Celtic hater?

Norris,

for years I stood on the terraces and sang along with every song going, at all games. And usually finished with the usual ***. The other lot would sing their songs back at us and so on. I saw nothing wrong with this and I still do.

I don't know if anyone was offended but I wasn't. It was part of the atmosphere at the games, particularly the Old Firm games.

I still find it difficult to understand why people go to these games nowadays and expect some jolly banter and cuddles all round at the end, it really does baffle me.

We now live in times when no-one must be offended, its more socially acceptable to knife somebody than call them a bad name. Fucked if I will ever understand it. Are peoples' egos so fragile?

 

Maybe in a hundred years the game will be totally sterile and competition will be banned and probably there will be no supporters allowed to attend games, all will be televised.

Until then we live in a time of confusion where one lot are punished for doing something naughty and others aren't for the same " crime "

 

And, by the way, does being a "Tim Hater" make you a better person than me or is it juat a waste of time and energy ?

No, being a "tim hater" doesn't make me a better person than you, we're all good Bears on here.

I just find it strange that you can deride the offended culture while at the same time having a go at Rangers fans for their singing.

But had McDonald scored that goal and they had won the game, we wouldn't hear a dickie bird.

See how it works...

Seat belts on lads, this season's witch hunt is ready for take-off.

Are you a Rangers fan or a " tim hater ?" If you are both then you were probably one of the arseholes trying to blacken our name no matter the consequences.

I for one don't give a flying fuck about religion, what's it got to do with football anyway?

For everyone like you there is the same kind of bigot on the other side and as long as that situation remains this to and fro bile will never stop.

 

I know there is bias against us in authority and the press but those who are offended are absolutely fucking pathetic.

Did you read a recent article in a Dublin newspaper concerning this, and particularly the " famine ?"

The columnist accused the pseudo irish/scotsmen who run bleating when they hear " nasty songs " being sung were nothing but a bunch of pathetic wasters, and, their kind should be prevented from returning Ireland if they ever tried to " come home "

That is how they view this situation, from Ireland, " the old country "

 

Don't buy into this crap my friend, follow Rangers for the football, nothing else.

I am a Rangers fan and a "tim hater" and will apologise to no-one for it. To infer that that makes me or anyone else on this forum an "arsehole" is the same careless use of language displayed by bigbear in the Kirk Broadfoot thread.

As for religion, I'm from the East coast and couldn't give two shites one way or the other either - I'm in it for the football and always have been. That said, I hate Celtic and think the "bile" made the game what it once was before the lunatics took over the asylum and we now have the present situation where you get arrested for farting. All I ask for here is parity. The media, and yourself gordy, are quick to jump on Rangers at the first sign of perceived/phantom wrong-doing while ignoring the dark side's songs of hate. On this thread I have listed a handful of sectarian breach of the peace offences off the top of my head which were committed by the home support on Sunday. As I have previously stated, the day they get their own sordid house in order is the day I will let them tell me whether I've been a bad boy or not.

From the above post I think what you're trying to say is both sides should be banned from singing anything but football songs. I personally would let both sides sing whatever the hell they want. Isn't it funny that this clamp-down on 'sectarianism' coincides with sectarian tensions being at their highest level for over 20 years?

We're all entitled to our opinion, but Rangers are getting enough pressure put on them by those that would have us shut down in an instant, without our own fans joining in.

Rotten luck for the big guy if this is the case, after missing out on last season's Scottish Cup Final.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

RANGERS star Kirk Broadfoot is sweating on a broken foot that could rule him out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup Final.

Broadfoot was injured in the Old Firm clash on Sunday and fears he has suffered a fracture which could rule him out for five or six weeks.

That would mean the Ibrox defender would miss the March 15 Hampden showdown with Celtic, several key league games AND Scotland�s crunch World Cup qualifier against Holland on March 28.

SunSport can reveal Broadfoot, 24, told Gers medics he felt a searing pain and heard a crack early in the 0-0 draw with Celts at Parkhead.

Amazingly the defender played on for the entire 90 minutes.

But on Monday, Broadfoot was unable to put weight on his left leg and was immediately taken to Glasgow�s Nuffield Hospital.

He had the injury X-rayed and was told there was no obvious break. But specialists have still not ruled out a hairline fracture which could see him sidelined for weeks.

The player now faces an anxious wait after being told to rest for the next 24 hours and allow the swelling to settle down.

Only then will he be able to undergo a more detailed scan which could determine the rest of his season.

Broadfoot has already been ruled out of tomorrow night�s Scottish Cup clash with Forfar.

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article2243585.ece

The famine song was sung a few times

...and still they haven't proven it's racist...

Sing away Bears.

We had the chance to defeat and demoralise celtic at the midden but we lacked the plums and the confidence to do so.

This will only give them heart.

Nah, they know they're shit.

Better friends than the SPL the filth could not have hoped for.

or the 2 IRA-related banners that appeared at Ibrox at the last OF game?

 

or the pro-IRA songs sung at Celtic's previous game in Inverness etc etc.

Or the Holy Goalie "hating the huns".

They can stick their holier than thou pish up their arses until they clean up their own bigotted act.