You and Me Against The World

[Frankie 8,199]

andy_steel crushes the latest reports linking Rangers to hooliganism and violence. An excellent bit of writing!

 

http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=267:you-and-me-against-the-world&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67

 

Another day, another story of Rangers yobs. Wha's like us? This time, The Boston Globe recounts our legendary Vandal like sacking of Europe's cities and begs the City Fathers of Boston to bar the gates to the barbarians. Look at Manchester! Look at Bucharest! Look at Barcelona!

 

Yes, let's.

 

I suppose most fans outside Glasgow won't know that taking sides between Rangers and Celtic is supposed to confer other allegiances: religious, between Christian sects, international (the flags of Israel and Palestine are occassionally spotted at games, denoting support for one or the other) and political, with Rangers being the Conservative (equates to Republican in the States) and Celtic being left wing socialists, lined up against the power the man.

 

Except when you look at the examples above, what do you see?

 

In Barcelona, in 1972, Rangers support took on fascist dictator General Franco's State Police, not the local cops. Using broken chairs to battle one of Europe's most unpleasant totalitarian regimes remains something I am not ashamed of - if the Boston Globe thinks it repellent to take on fascists, that's their business. I for one am proud of every single Rangers fan who showed them that quasi-Nazi tactics would not be tolerated by Scotsmen - shout it louder, Boston Globe!

 

In Bucharest some months ago, an equally unpleasant law enforcement agency took on the Rangers fan, who dared complain vocally about their treatment before and during the game - I would urge any US fan to look up images of the stadium in question, 'deathtrap' would be doing it a favour - only to be met with the response one would have expected under Nicolai Ceaucescu. Again, and although this was a very minor scuffle, I am proud to relate that the Rangers fan did not take beatings in response to spoken complaints as acceptable. I'm not American; maybe, in Obama's USA, bending the knee before the dregs of communist states is the norm. It ain't in Scotland.

 

Manchester. Too much booze, too much sun, too many fans. Lessons Boston ought to take on board - don't let the fans drink all day, don't let too many squeeze into a small plaza. The rubbish left in the city was a disgrace, however you can find equally embarrassing photos online of the Scottish national team and, whisper it, our Celtic cousins as well. It's what Scots do - they throw garbage in the street. I'm not proud of that, and the Globe's criticsm on that score is entirely justified. Taking on the Manchester police - well, they may not be totalitarian, but they were certainly willing to get out the sticks and dogs - having been there, I can say with certainty I wouldn't have taken it lying down myself.

 

Nations are not made free, and they don't remain free through luck. The countries Rangers fans have visited and clashed with police or security forces have problems far deeper than a football match, but at least their more obvious democratic failings were highlighted by Rangers fans. Americans of all people ought to be able to recognise oppression when they see it - are you telling me that Boston is no longer a bastion of revolution, and has instead embraced the establishment?

 

If you're looking for people who will accept being treated disgracefully and not fight back, invite another team to play at Fenway. If you are offering hospitality and will arrest people who break your laws, invite Rangers. We're no angels: but sometimes you can fight back without being the devil.

 

[chilledbear 16]

The Boston Globe was wrong, but we shouldn't gloss over the problem within our Support.

[Frankie 8,199]

The Boston Globe was wrong, but we shouldn't gloss over the problem within our Support.

 

I don't think is suggesting otherwise.

 

At the same time we need to be proud of who we are and defend ourselves against misrepresentation.

 

[bmck 117]

I think it's an honestly great article.

[calscot 0]

I take offence at Rangers fans being singled out as "disgraceful" for leaving rubbish. While I find littering disgraceful it is not solely perpetrated by Rangers fans or Scots or even football fans - it is done so by people in general.

 

A fair comparison to Manchester would be any large city with a New Year celebration that attracted a similar number of people.

 

Just google "Times Square New Year trash" to see pictures and videos much worse than Manchester - 40 tonnes of trash. Was there a riot there by a load of Rangers fans or was it just your average people having a good time and having nowhere convenient to put their trash?

 

You won't find many pictures like that of Edinburgh though, as they know how to have a party and start clearing up at 3am and finish before midday. IIRC Manchester left their's for a day or two... Wasn't that the REAL disgrace?

 

I think we need to post pictures of Manchester next to pictures of Times Square or where-ever. The anti-Rangers propaganda is rampant these days.

 

The Mail is changing history to say that Rangers fans rioted AFTER the team lost - that's a massive difference to a minority rioting BEFORE the game after the police switched the telly off - especially when mitigating the alcohol the cramped conditions and the poor way they were treated by police and stewards.

 

Oh yeah and Celtic didn't cause trouble when they had a friendly with Man City - how is that comparable? Where was the riot at the Arsenal v Rangers game then?

[ian1964 10,486]

I take offence at Rangers fans being singled out as "disgraceful" for leaving rubbish. While I find littering disgraceful it is not solely perpetrated by Rangers fans or Scots or even football fans - it is done so by people in general.

 

A fair comparison to Manchester would be any large city with a New Year celebration that attracted a similar number of people.

 

Just google "Times Square New Year trash" to see pictures and videos much worse than Manchester - 40 tonnes of trash. Was there a riot there by a load of Rangers fans or was it just your average people having a good time and having nowhere convenient to put their trash?

 

You won't find many pictures like that of Edinburgh though, as they know how to have a party and start clearing up at 3am and finish before midday. IIRC Manchester left their's for a day or two... Wasn't that the REAL disgrace?

 

I think we need to post pictures of Manchester next to pictures of Times Square or where-ever. The anti-Rangers propaganda is rampant these days.

 

The Mail is changing history to say that Rangers fans rioted AFTER the team lost - that's a massive difference to a minority rioting BEFORE the game after the police switched the telly off - especially when mitigating the alcohol the cramped conditions and the poor way they were treated by police and stewards.

 

Oh yeah and Celtic didn't cause trouble when they had a friendly with Man City - how is that comparable? Where was the riot at the Arsenal v Rangers game then?

 

 

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1182500_police_boss_council_caused_rangers_riot_by_turning_off_big_screen

[ian1964 10,486]

Manchester police concerns stop Rangers playing at Neville testimonial.

 

Manchester United have abandoned plans to invite Rangers to be the opposition for Gary Neville's testimonial match because of objections from the police and council officials about supporters of the Glasgow club returning to the city where they rioted two years ago.

 

Neville's representatives had asked United to approach Rangers because the presence of the Scottish champions would virtually guarantee a sellout crowd at Old Trafford. United then made what are described as "unofficial soundings" with the relevant authorities and were told in no uncertain terms that Rangers were probably the least desirable opponents.

 

The police, in particular, were alarmed about the prospect of tens of thousands of Glaswegians flooding into Manchester, citing the running battles that turned the city centre into a battleground on the night of the 2008 Uefa Cup final.

 

An estimated 150,000 Rangers travelled for the game against Zenit St Petersburg and trouble flared when a giant screen failed in the largest fan zone. Rioting fans went on the rampage for five hours, causing hundreds of thousands of pounds' worth of damage and injuring one policeman so badly he needed six months off work. One Zenit fan was stabbed as the Russian team won 2-0. The prime minister, Gordon Brown, branded the fans "a disgrace" and the first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, said the violence was "shocking and unacceptable".

 

Two years on, there is still enough bad feeling in Manchester for the police to have concerns that there could be reprisal attacks if Rangers were to play again in the city and that it could be a magnet for football hooligans from different clubs. The bigger concern, however, was the prospect of another mass invasion of Rangers fans and United were informed that, for such a match to take place, it would require a huge policing operation. United also sounded out Manchester city council as well as the security firm that supplies the club's match-day stewards and concluded that, aside from the risk of trouble, the costs of organising the match would take up too great a percentage of the ticket profits.

 

The club are looking at other possible opponents but Celtic have informed them they cannot fit the match into their schedule. United wait to see whether they are involved in the Community Shield before finalising a date to honour Neville, their 35-year-old defender.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/29/manchester-police-rangers-gary-neville

[Cotter 0]

Always a pleasure Andy. Great read.

[andy steel 0]

Sorry, Cal, the rivers of pish and ankle deep refuse we left behind in Manchester was a disgrace imo, but I don't think I singled us out. Isn't there a bit about the Scotland fans as well? I'll re-read what I wrote.

 

EDIT: There is! Give me a break!

 

One wonders just how much more out of touch with reality it is possible for GMP to be. UEFA Cup Final, once-in-a-lifetime, 200,000 travel. Testimonial for unpopular Mancunian wazzock...you'd be lucky to get 5,000 Bears going to that. But meh...