andrew_2010

And how much has this case cost the country? and all this pointlessness with a recession on the horizon apparently... if only people had some perspective!

And he won't be the last... can't believe you don't know that song?? BTW, try beat my 21st

In edu's defense... apparently he drew the colour "disgusting" out the hat...

I had a bebo message... no reply, so thought i'd check out here... If you knew him like i did, you'd be in shock! but to be serious, better than the counting house, eh? just make sure they see/hear your tunes on the mp3 player

good times! Met the bochum boys when I finished a summer round europe with the gers tour of germany... met andy gorum on the train from dortmund with some of the bochum boys, and even swapped an old away shirt for an orange effort of bochums! was a cracking group and took me under their wing (was on my own over there and met a couple of them at the lipptstadt game). Actually managed to spot me in the middle of one of the big group efforts! Talking about other clubs with gers affinities... Been watching MOTD and spotted gers flags in the crowd before (although not sure if thats just gers fans taking in a prem game). think it was chelsea a while ago, and i swore i saw another one in a chelsea gema but thought it was in the blackburn end (lots of empties!) I think the other one was at the riverside!

cos I know your lazy... clicky

bloody hell your impatient! :admin: It's your own fault for forgetting on tues!! Best thing to do, is download anything you want... pics, mp3s (google germanbear or frankfurterbear or something and gers... he had a whole load of gers and "non-related" songs)... onto your laptop, then use the cable you got to shove them onto your phone which should come up like a usb stick... theme wise im not too sure!

Really? I've unfortunately had to give up my season ticket this season, but as it was free for season ticket holders, and was still in touch with the folk i sat next to... made a "donation" which was better than paying �£18 and meant I actually got to follow the game! Anyways, I ended up in my old seat, so was fantastic being back, didnt realise how much i missed it!! wasn't the greatest game, but there were some really nice moves and was alot more entertaining than some of the stuff i'd sat through the previous 6 years! Maybe you have to go without for a while before you appreciate it!

If a new deal can be agreed, would not complain. I never would have thought he'd have been a first pick, but he's kept his place on merit, and continues to defies all logic! well done big man! If it was a player that seemed destined to leave anyway, �£2m for a player who could leave for nothing in the summer would be phenomenal! But I do hope he stays - he deserves it!

But the cheering and silence contrast each other, emphasising the silence! Cheering after the designated applause just devaules its effect, reduces its significance. I'd rather cheer for a legend than the start of a football game... but if i had the choice, a respectful minutes silence to reflect and remember them is the way I'd go.

one of many things that bugs me about this minutes applause thing is the fact that once its over, there is an even bigger roar! More cheering etc surely that is disrespectful?! Minutes silence for me

lookin for the same info myself... difficult until its actually game time from what i've found...

not too sure, but it was so unexpected and looked ungainly at the time... i laughed :devil: (after praising him for doing what he does best)

Having been out the country and not having access to the media I missed everything that happened. Any chance of an update? If we can get the relative backing of other clubs fans in this case, and present the issue sensibly to those from a non-footballing background, then hopefully this fuss will be a huge own goal for celtic and they will finally be held accountable!

:devil: of course I am!!

Good statement, and along the similar lines of my views on the issue. We cannot control what you are likely to get arrested for. The way it is being portrayed in the media to the masses as an anti-irish immigrant song makes it difficult to defend without them understanding the context of the joke, that is why i think we should back down on this particular song. Its a difficult battle to win given the misrepresentation we currently face in the media, and by giving ourselves more time we can implement the change that bain appears to be fighting for from that statement. The attitude of many fans doing something because we've been told not to is worrying. That is not dismissing anyones right to sing any song or saying we should do what we are told, but be smart about it. going back to the billy boys... do people think it is ok to sing about being up knee's in anyones blood? be it arab blood, city blood or ****** blood... imagine someone shouting at you in the street about walking in your blood? not very appropriate in my opinion. Yes fight for rights of freedom of speech, but please do so wisely. Do not try and justify the unjustifiable, or fight the corner of a song that is contentious when taken out of context (which we all knew would happen!) We should be focusing on why it is just rangers that are getting persecuted and not the Aberdeens, hearts, hibs and most bizarrely celtics of this country. well done bain (did i just say that?!) and keep going till we cut the bastards with their own sword!

Does anyone know how our arrangement with JJB works for the foreign market? Is the JJB thing a completely exclusive deal, or is it only in the UK? The reason I ask, is despite having a high profile abroad, it is much harder to see Rangers gear, especially when you see green and grey hoops all over the place (e.g. nike store at the nou camp, and in american sports stores). It is an observation my dad has made when visiting family in canada - their tops are easy to obtain, and ours are impossible! I also noticed a similar trend while in the states recently. We once asked the owners of a small sports store once, and he said it was mainly due to how difficult it was to stock rangers tops. The reason it is an issue worth raising is the higher profile we will be receiving in the US. We already have Beasley and have gone on to sign one of Americas most promising, high profile players. Edu is to be on the front of the american version of FIFA 09 i believe... Surely this could be a market to capitalise on...? Anyone know the scoop?

it was so ungainly and unexpected, I almost pissed myself!! May the ground shake not only at Ibrox but all over the country

Me too! better than the lack of options last year! I quite fancy a central two of fergie and mendes... sorry tommo, cant fit you in there!

I'm not saying we should be sitting back, but tell anyone that doesnt know anything about football that we are singing a song that tells the irish to go home sounds like we are the racist biggoted ones. I don't believe that, but it is a hard stance to take in the current social climate! Our name is mud with alot of quarters, and personally I believe the best way to combat this is to redeem our reputation by keeping our noses clean and only then will our voice regain credibility. Try looking at this issue from the point of view of a person not interested in football... it only seems logical and banterous to those who know the context. Our views/reservations/complaints will be dismissed as long as the status quo continues. Time to get street-smart methinks

I was being asked where my line in the sand was. I was giving an example of what I deemed banterous! I agree with the trusts statement. I originally sang the song at parkhead openly. The only reason I appear to be opposed to it is I could see us getting in hot water over the song (which we have). I don't think fighting smart is weakness, but until we have enough power to fight this directly as people are proposing, we will get slaughtered in the media and the whole country who have no interest in football will have a distorted view of rangers fans, perpetuating the myth celt*c fans have started.

It's not on who is being offended, but what has been said that is meant to cause the offence. Talking about killing people (IRA novo song, or Neil Lennon song) are beyond banter. Calling someone a w*nker is banter... Your right that it does seem to be only the one group of people that are being offended by "banter" that has been in football for generations, and that is one of the major problems...

Did anyone feel the ground shake at Ibrox on Saturday?? Just got back from the states and watched the highlights on the beeb website... anyone else burst out laughing at Kris Boyds new (attempted-)acrobatic celebration?! :fish:

Fans should be allowed banter, but this song goes beyond banter in the context in which some fans are using it. To me its like waving a red flag at a bull. akin to the "come and have a go if you think your hard enough" line. It is daft, and was obvious that people would find it offensive. Defending the right to have banter is just, but given the witch-hunt we currently face, this song was bound to raise trouble (rightly or wrongly) and is an inappropriate choice. In the current climate we must be street-wise! I think that this is a catchy song, but feel alot of people sing it, and defend it as it is walking the tight-rope of the 'acceptable' line. The statements from Rangers around the issue have suggested they view it as acceptable yet contentious. In the context of a joke, the song is fine, but when it is presented as a serious topic, especially to someone with no interest in football (like the media articles), it will appear offensive and inflamatory. Perhaps one step back to take two step forwards in this case might be more appropriate? Stick to FOOTBALL related banter (for now at least). Your right that we cannot lie down and take this persecution, but if we stick to football related topics we should (can?) not be touched. In a time when everyone is so politically correct you have to be careful even eating your breakfast, ALL banter can be deemed offensive to someone. My "line in the sand"? well how can I answer that? it depends on the songs and their context... every situation is different. But in this case most people knew it would be questioned and we have invited this negative press. It's a difficult topic to discuss due to the fact its a joke that is meant to offend (or at least wind up), and sadly common sense will never prevail. Its all petty point scoring, but I fear the judges could be mistaken for the boxing judges at a chinese fight at the beijing olympics in this case...

It's not a case of 'rolling over', it's more a case of picking your battles. In this case we're standing on very loose ground. I think the whole mentality of "No one likes us; we don't care" has evolved into something much more sinister... for example, some idiots saw police lining up (possibly looking for a fight) in Manchester and met aggression with aggression. To me your kind of argument is as daft as those not wanting tighter controls on guns in america... "its against the constitution" - which was written hundreds of years ago!! It's blatantly being abused in todays gang culture and other such environments. Just because it isn't illegal doesn't make it commendable, or palatable. I am regretting the seriousness of my tone in this argument as I believe it is a song based in banter and pokes fun at the plastic paddies in the c*lt*c support, and sadly Rangers fans are no longer allowed any banter these days. Still it is an irrelevant song and defending it just because it technically doesn't break any law is absurd. Defending a song like "Hullo Hullo we are the RANGERS boys" would be a far more appropriate course of action...