Rangers fans must face the music Billy Dodds

[ian1964 10,415]

17 Apr 2011

 

THE question you have to ask Rangers fans who sing sectarian songs is this: do they really care about the club?

 

Because if you do, it has got to stop and it has got to stop now.

 

You can�t just say it is a tiny minority that do it, or alternatively that it is all of the fans, but a good percentage of Rangers supporters are still singing these songs. It is something Rangers have been fighting against for years, and I don�t know if they will ever be able to change it, but they can�t ever give up trying. Just when you hoped it might have gone away, suddenly it has raised its ugly head again over the last season or so.

 

I was very young when I went down to Chelsea to start my football career but my dad brought me up in Ayrshire as a Rangers fan. I went to the Scottish Cup final with him in 1976, when they beat Hearts 3-1 and Derek Johnstone scored a couple. We were in the Hearts end because there were so many Rangers fans there. But I never went to many games and I swear I never had a clue about the songs.

 

I remember once I arrived at Rangers as a player, the fans would try to get me to play the flute and rubbish like that, but I didn�t play along at all. I didn�t know the songs, I didn�t know the words, and I didn�t want to know.

 

Things are changing now and the fans have got to realise that some things are no longer acceptable. It is like racism, which has moved on hugely since the Mark Walters situation arose with the banana throwing.

 

Times are moving on and fans have got to do the same with sectarianism. I know these fans� mindset. Some of them will never change. It is defiance. Now they are humming these songs at games, so they are determined to get their message across whatever. But if they are not going to change for themselves, they should change for the sake of the club. The Rangers fans that are doing it are doing the club harm. They should be trying to help, but instead they are making it worse.

 

The last thing the club needs is to be tarred with this. Pictures of games being played behind closed doors will affect the image of the club in the eyes of the world and the potential �£2 million loss is the last thing the club needs financially with the way things are, and in the throes of a takeover which may or may not go through. The Craig Whyte deal is already taking so long, and this kind of thing could drag it on even further.

 

I never played in a game which had to be played behind closed doors due to crowd misbehaviour but the closest I got was that famous game in Tallinn when I won my first full cap for my country. The Scotland fans were all there but it was eerie.

 

Donââ?¬â?¢t get me wrong: I think Uefa are making an example of Rangers, I really do. They are using Rangers as an example to stop sectarianism across Europe, because there are other clubs out there that do it. I understand what Martin Bain is trying to say about it and he has to defend the clubââ?¬â?¢s interests. But that is not the same as saying Uefa are somehow in the wrong on this. They made their point about the PSV game away, and now they are making their point about the PSV game at home. You canââ?¬â?¢t say Rangers are unlucky or being picked on or that it is just a witch hunt. The phrase ââ?¬Ë?witch huntââ?¬â?¢ suggests people are looking for things that arenââ?¬â?¢t there.

 

This problem is there for all to see. I don�t think if you are a Rangers director you could say otherwise.

 

I want to speak about football, not political stuff. But the main talking points in Scottish football haven�t been about the football: there have been refs� strikes, Celtic versus the SFA, now Paul McBride versus the SFA and Rangers and sectarianism. There needs to be a change in mentality given the way that Scottish football is going and the sooner we change it the better. You wonder how are we going to get the TV deals and sponsorship we need to make Scottish football better again.

 

We start a campaign in this country then we forget all about it. Then suddenly it gathers pace again and we bring it back out. Once a month we should have an anti-sectarianism mission just like the Show Racism the Red Card campaign. Let�s keep it in people�s minds. I grew up knowing about sectarianism but not knowing about it, if you see what I mean. But my wee boy is into football now and he doesn�t have a clue about it. It would be great if we could keep it that way.

 

I HAD a pop at Aberdeen in last week�s column and they seemed to be fired up against Rangers in midweek. I expected that and I am sure they will be up for the game against Celtic this afternoon. I would never doubt their professionalism or how much they want to win but I just don�t think they are good enough and I expect Celtic to go through.

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/rangers-fans-must-face-the-music-billy-dodds-1.1096666

[Gazza_8 233]

17 Apr 2011THE question you have to ask Rangers fans who sing sectarian songs is this: do they really care about the club?

 

Spot on. You may not agree about why these songs were banned but you're damaging our club by continuing to sing these songs.

[Danny 0]

What bothers me about all this is not the sanctions, it's the fact that glorification of terrorism at Parkhead and by their away fans is going completely ignored because some bright spark decided to specifically go after sectarianism and bigotry - what makes what the dark lot over there sing any more acceptable?

 

It bothers me that we're targetted for our offensive singing, and they aren't. Both should be called to task, or neither.

[ian1964 10,415]

What bothers me about all this is not the sanctions, it's the fact that glorification of terrorism at Parkhead and by their away fans is going completely ignored because some bright spark decided to specifically go after sectarianism and bigotry - what makes what the dark lot over there sing any more acceptable?

 

It bothers me that we're targetted for our offensive singing, and they aren't. Both should be called to task, or neither.

 

I think we're all looking for parity,this is the big problem,however I've said it before and I'll say it again,these songs that rae banned are all because the BHEASTS wanted them banned,and they got exactly what they wanted,they've even managed to change the definition of the word fenian,so I suppose the definition of the word will have to be changed in the dictionary!!!. The next question is what song will they get banned next??,as we seem to allow them to dictate what is offensive or not?.

[Zappa 0]

What bothers me about all this is not the sanctions, it's the fact that glorification of terrorism at Parkhead and by their away fans is going completely ignored because some bright spark decided to specifically go after sectarianism and bigotry - what makes what the dark lot over there sing any more acceptable?

 

It bothers me that we're targetted for our offensive singing, and they aren't. Both should be called to task, or neither.

 

They won't be able to continue to get away with their political shite in Europe because they've put a big 'x marks the spot' on themselves now simply by pointing the finger at us. It might take a few years since Celtic aren't playing in Europe that much, but they'll eventually get done for their glorification of terrorism.