ian1964 10,419 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Itââ?¬â?¢s the hunger that never seems to go away. A quarter of a century ago Rangers fans warmed up for a Scottish League Cup final by celebrating the death of an IRA man who had starved himself to death five years previously. ââ?¬Å?Could you go a chicken supper, Bobby Sands?ââ?¬Â they chanted. Yesterday they were dipping farther into the past, but the soundtrack of 2011 has even more sinister undercurrents.The ââ?¬Å?Famine Songââ?¬Â harks back to the Irish potato blight of 1845, which led to mass emigration and the death of one million people. Sung to the tune of the Beach Boysââ?¬â?¢ Sloop John B, it asks of the Roman Catholic population of western Scotland: ââ?¬Å?The famine is over, why donââ?¬â?¢t you go home?ââ?¬Â This is how things move on in the Old Firm fixture. Glasgow is very different 25 years on. It is a cosmopolitan city ââ?¬â? at least in the centre ââ?¬â? full of bars and restaurants that would not be out of place in Los Angeles or Sydney. Head towards Celtic Park and the East End, though, and the past is on a collision course and the impact comes earlier than expected. Barely beyond the regenerated carpet factory of Glasgow Green, with its trendy brewpubs, you arrive at the Barras. Here, the city of half a lifetime ago is still recognisable, shabby, unkempt, with Irish tricolours flying over the pubs. ââ?¬Å?A Fenian flea market,ââ?¬Â one Glaswegian sneers. In the Barras it feels exactly as it did in October 1986, when the Scottish League Cup final pitted Celtic against Rangers. More than 74,000 filled Hampden Park to watch a fractious match that Rangers won 2-1 after scoring a penalty in the last five minutes. The result is less famous than the incident for which the match is remembered. Mo Johnston was sent off for head-butting Stuart Munro. As he left the pitch the Celtic striker made the sign of the cross, blessing himself, fully aware that it was the most provocative gesture he could make in this hotbed of sectarianism. Johnston, a hero to the green legions at the time, gets no mention on the guided tours of Celtic Park. There are no obvious pictures of him in Bairds Bar, the alternative Celtic museum, either. In 1989 he became the first high-profile Catholic to sign for Rangers. In typically Glaswegian style, it was not that simple. Days before, Johnston had been introduced to an adoring Celtic Park crowd in a hooped shirt after a spell with Nantes. The deal was not yet complete, however, and Graeme Souness, the Rangers manager, gazumped his rivals. In Bairds there is a sign warning patrons not to indulge in racist or sectarian abuse. There is a painting of Madonna and Child, the baby wearing a Celtic shirt. Many of the ââ?¬Å?artworksââ?¬Â on display are ironic ââ?¬â? Marilyn Monroe above an air vent exposing a Celtic garter, the Beatles in hoops ââ?¬â? but there are clear signs of Catholic identity among the shirts and scarves, some of them anachronistic. Portraits of John F. and Bobby Kennedy abound; there is even a framed tea towel featuring the assassinated brothers. The link between football and this identity is what creates the fault line in Glasgow. At Celtic Park Jock Steinââ?¬â?¢s statue sits close to a likeness of Brother Walfrid, the man who founded the club. The juxtaposition is satisfying to those singing the Famine Song. It accuses the great Celtic manager of covering up child abuse at the club, complicity linking them with the Catholic Churchââ?¬â?¢s sex scandals. There is no justification to level these accusations at Stein. In the Orange enclaves, though, the Protestant Stein is thought of as a traitor. Almost under the shadow of the huge stands at Celtic Park is Bridgeton Cross. Bars here ââ?¬â? the Crimson Star and Walkers ââ?¬â? display the Red Hand of Ulster and the Union Flag. In Walkers the drinkers sup away under a portrait of the Queen. At the bar is Donnie. Like Stein, he has crossed the divide. In 1986, Donnie ââ?¬â? who does not want his real name used; few do when talking about this subject ââ?¬â? took me to Hampden for the Skol Cup final. He wore a Rangers shirt and was immersed in the culture of Ibrox. Yet his family did not have strong religious convictions; they were left-wing idealists. The football allegiance developed at his ââ?¬Å?Protestantââ?¬Â school, where Rangers support was universal. He was far from a bigot, though, and able to accompany his Celtic-supporting girlfriend to their home ground. Then, at the end of the 1988 season, the couple were walking home from a match. Neither was wearing colours and felt safe walking down London Road, back to town. A mistake. Donnieââ?¬â?¢s girlfriend was wearing a shirt that had a hint of green in it. ââ?¬Å?As we walked past,ââ?¬Â Donnie said, pointing to the place near the bar, ââ?¬Å?I heard one of this group of fellas suck up snot from his nose, make a huge snort and then a hack into his mouth. He spat it at my girlfriend. It missed her and hit me. At that moment I knew I couldnââ?¬â?¢t support Rangers any more.ââ?¬Â Yesterday he was in the Celtic end at Hampden. Donnieââ?¬â?¢s Damascene moment came at the place a 16-year-old Celtic fan died after having his throat slashed in an unprovoked attack in 1995. The air of menace remains in Bridgeton Cross, in one of the poorest areas of the city. ââ?¬Å?People say one side is as bad as the other,ââ?¬Â Donnie said. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s not true. Rangers are worse.ââ?¬Â Some say that the enmity between Rangers and Celtic is on the decline. A primary school teacher told me that his class encountered sectarianism for the first time when given a book on bigotry as part of the curriculum. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢re putting the idea in their heads in the schools,ââ?¬Â he said, adding with cynicism: ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s a Protestant school, only now we call it non-denominational.ââ?¬Â The school system is the cause of anger among the anti-Catholic contingent. Catholic schools are seen as ââ?¬Å?separatistââ?¬Â and given as proof that this community does not want to fit in with Scottish culture. The distinct identity is resented by the most vehement of Rangers fans and the greatest symbol of Catholic heritage in Glasgow is a Celtic shirt. At Hampden yesterday the Rangers support gave full voice to their disapproval. The great majority of chants booming from the Rangers end were sectarian in nature. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢re up to our knees in Fenian blood, surrender or you die,ââ?¬Â they sang. Orange marching songs such as The Sash My Father Wore were aired. And, of course, the Famine Song, with its ethnic-cleansing undertones. By contrast, the Celtic chants were largely confined to football, although a rendition of The Soldierââ?¬â?¢s Song, the Irish national anthem, caused fury in the Rangers end. Some of the imagery used by Celtic fans is provocative in the extreme, too. One youngster, barely out of his teens, wore a shirt with ââ?¬Å?Long Kesh 81ââ?¬Â on the back, in tribute to Sands and his fellow hunger-strikers of 30 years ago. However, it would be difficult to justify Les Grayââ?¬â?¢s assertion that three quarters of the crowd at an Old Firm game could be arrested for hate crimes. The chairman of the Scottish Police Federation made this comment after last monthââ?¬â?¢s fractious cup-tie at Celtic Park and, despite the obligatory sending-off in this fixture during yesterdayââ?¬â?¢s 2-1 victory to Rangers, the atmosphere did not reach poisonous levels in the stadium. Yet the aftermath always has the potential to turn nasty. The casualty department in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary was quiet immediately after the match yesterday, but it was a sense of calm before the storm. Wait, everyone says, until the drink kicks in about 10.30pm. ââ?¬Å?Twenty-five years since you were here?ââ?¬Â Donnie said. ââ?¬Å?Come back in 25 years and itââ?¬â?¢ll still be going on. Youââ?¬â?¢ll die before it does.ââ?¬Â Somewhere across Argyle Street there is the distant echo of the Famine Song. One thing that seems to endure in this rivalry is the appetite for conflict. Counting the cost of rivalry 75 Percentage of Old Firm fans whom a Scottish police chief thinks could be arrested 17 Percentage of Scottish population who are Catholic 140 Percentage leap in domestic-violence complaints when Celtic-Rangers games kick off at Saturday lunchtime 229 Arrests after Old Firm match last month 50 Distance in miles troublemakers had to be transported to find available accommodation after all the cells in Glasgow were filled in the wake of Februaryââ?¬â?¢s game 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoodyBlue 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 the guy is a complete erse. it's also clear that he has been in contact with Queersy. No doubt after rimming each other !! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Total malicious propaganda set up to stir the pot. The lies and deliberate, malicious misinterpretations, drip from the page like diarrhoea on a hot day. It's actually sectarian in itself. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmck 117 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 You could spend time picking it apart. Or you could just laugh at the twisted little bitterness. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoodyBlue 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 would this have come out if the taigs had won yesterday ?? I think not. Tony Evans is just another bitter taig from Scouseland. GIRFUY Evans ya fat Scouse khunt !! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 This has Britney's paws all over it. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoodyBlue 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 This has Britney's paws all over it. exactly - the combination of him and this khunt Evans is just laughable. They are hurting - and I am fooking loving it !! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 would this have come out if the taigs had won yesterday ?? I think not. I honestly think it would have. There were always going to be jungles and their sympathisers writing articles about yesterdays songbook, no matter the result and always going to be letters and emails of complaint getting written to various authorities no matter the result. It's par for course now. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoodyBlue 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I honestly think it would have. There were always going to be jungles and their sympathisers writing articles about yesterdays songbook, no matter the result and always going to be letters and emails of complaint getting written to various authorities no matter the result. It's par for course now. you could be right mate - but I bet him and Queersy were dying to put this out in order to try and ease their pain after a defeat. Our songbook is fine. As long as the fans unite we have a massive power in and outside of our club. When people see we are no longer a soft touch then they' start to see thay are losing the fight. We stood for the whole game and we sang TBB yesterday. I didn't see anyone getting lifted for either of these 'offences' Sing it loud, sing it proud bears !! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 you could be right mate - but I bet him and Queersy were dying to put this out in order to try and ease their pain after a defeat. Evans, as Deputy footy editor for the Times has written 52 articles in the past 3 and a half years (roughly) and never once has he written about Rangers, Celtic or anything even remotely related to the subject of sectarianism. This looks to me like an article written by Britney and published by Evans. It'll reach a wider audience if published in the Times rather than the Scottish edition which doesn't sell very well. Britney has pulled a fast one here becuase he's given Evans a pretty controversial article to publish under his own name whilst at the same time not had to put his own discredited name to such a pile of agenda-filled drivel. Combined with it hitting a much bigger readership, it looks like Britney has stepped up his attack on Rangers and managed to do it by manipulating someone else into putting their name to it. Of course, that's just conjecture/guesswork. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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