The Discredited Discredited Journalist: Why Jon Daly, from Dublin, is news at Rangers

[ian1964 10,514]

Tuesday 28 May 2013

 

Jon Daly, a Catholic from the Republic of Ireland, has signed for Rangers. There has been a minor fuss about this event in sections of the Scottish press.

 

Has the fuss been justified?

 

For unfortunate historic reasons to do with Rangers FC, yes. In terms of the Rangers of today, seeking to be modern and "cleansed", no.

 

Quite a number of Rangers supporters, seeing their club yet again being depicted as some sort of 19th century caricature, have been dismayed by the media coverage of Daly's arrival. And their frustration is perfectly justified.

 

I meet scores of fresh-faced, new-generation Rangers fans - students, teachers, accountants, office workers - who have no truck at all with the old bigotry associated with the club. In fact, they are left nonplussed by these old sores, which they have neither known, nor felt, nor wish to be any part of.

 

There is a new generation of Rangers supporter which is pretty impressive. To paraphrase Walter Smith, who often lamented the political/religious "baggage" around Ibrox, these supporters just "love the club for the club's sake".

 

To such fans, the arrival of Jon Daly is fine. His racial and religious background is an irrelevance. Indeed, their view of some of the press coverage around Daly's signing - and questions asked of the striker in coming to Rangers - has been cynical and infuriated.

 

On the other hand, given that Daly's arrival represents another cutting loose with the past by Rangers, it would be odd if the Scottish media had not passed some sort of comment, or provided some historic context.

 

Without labouring the point, a high-profile Republic of Ireland player signing for Rangers seemed long overdue. That country's production of football players has been impressive for 25-plus years, and it seemed that just about every other principal club in Britain had managed the feat of enlisting at least one of them.

 

Rangers had not - and some not infrequently noted it. It offered an unfortunate impression of old, outdated attitudes prevailing at Ibrox. I don't believe that to be the case today - but the suspicion lingered.

 

Rangers FC will never fully escape its embarrassing past. The club over decades espoused a sectarian policy which disparaged Catholics and, in turn, fuelled a boorish terracing attitude towards Republic of Ireland players.

 

The modern Rangers has moved on from those days, though the smell occasionally lingers. Three years ago I sat inside an executive office at Ibrox when a Rangers director, with whom I had got into some minor dispute, said to me: "Graham, the previous policy at this club was disgusting."

 

It is that previous policy which means that, when such as a Jon Daly from Dublin signs for Rangers, some today will pass comment.

 

We don't need to obfuscate here. The vast majority of Rangers fans are utterly unconcerned by their new striker's background. It is a non-issue to them.

 

On the Rangers fans' message-boards, the odd nutty objection is still aired to Daly's arrival, but that is the nature of these things. In Rangers' case, the bigots among the club's support-base are well and truly being left behind. Let these guys howl at the moonâ?¦they are done for, they are finished.

 

Amid all this, Daly's own attitude has been refreshing. Indeed, he echoes what the modern Rangers supporter is all about.

 

I was told back in February by Rangers that Daly was on his way. Apparently, the player really wanted to sign for the club, he was very excited at the prospect. Indeed, barring a medical mishap, Daly's view was that he would be going nowhere except Ibrox.

 

The player has been bemused by the fuss over his arrival. He is not oblivious to Rangers' unfortunate history, but nor does he consider it a "live" issue today.

 

Good on this player, I say. I hope Jon Daly is a thorough success as a Rangers player.

 

Rangers cannot evade its past - we have seen this yet again. The club, with an abysmal policy, established a reputation from which, in the modern period, it is taking decades to recover.

 

Jon Daly's arrival is one more staging post. And a significant one.

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/opinion/spiers-on-sport-why-jon-daly-from-dublin-is-news-at-rangers.1369745979

[ian1964 10,514]

MitchellenMan ‏@MitchellenMan 37m

 

@JohnDCGow @AMcKellar89 @GrahamSpiers a new club..... that can't escape its past....... is he for real?!!

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Graham Spiers Graham Spiers ‏@GrahamSpiers 32m

 

@MitchellenMan @JohnDCGow @AMcKellar89 Chaps don't get hung up on the old club/new club debate. The historic narrative of 'Rangers' remains.

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John DC Gow John DC Gow ‏@JohnDCGow 29m

 

@GrahamSpiers Is the current Rangers a new club or the same club?

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Graham Spiers Graham Spiers ‏@GrahamSpiers 23m

 

@JohnDCGow I take the compassionate Uefa position: whether technically a new club or not, the historic narrative stays. You agree?

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John DC Gow John DC Gow ‏@JohnDCGow 18m

 

@GrahamSpiers The SFA and UEFA position is that its the exact same football club. In your view is it the same football club or a new one?

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Frankie Frankie ‏@GersnetOnline 14m

 

@JohnDCGow @GrahamSpiers His view is the one that can cause enough fan angst to make him partly relevant. Yawn.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

spiers should stop living in the past. its sad and unhealthy.

[Blue Moon 1,151]

Aside form the old club , new club rubbish, to fail to mention that other clubs have sectarian issues or racist problems is to single Rangers out unfairly. Before anyone says that is "whataboutery", let me tell you, that is garbage and is this seasons sporting integrity and has become sufficient in Scotland to dismiss an argument all on its own.

 

To generalize about our support as having moved on from carrying sectarian baggage is offensive. I have supported Rangers all my life and have never carried sectarian baggage.

 

No other club's actions come under the incessant scrutiny that ours do.

 

I, in no shape or form, condone buying players only of a certain religion, nor do I condone the propaganda war that still continues to perpetuate the myth from guys like Speirs, that we are the root of sectarian issues in Scotland.

 

If we let this guy away with it, we have no-one but ourselves to blame.

Edited May 28, 2013 by Blue Moon
Caps error

[Calgacus 8]

people like him live in the past because the future has left them behind.

[calscot 0]

What about the club who were set up as a discriminatory club and STILL have not lost that baggage. Surely it is noteworthy enough to justify comment?

[der Berliner 3,367]

My reply (yes, I know I shouldn't, but I had a weak moment) awaits moderation. Don't expect to see it though ...

 

Rangers had and have always signed the best quality that is available to them. The best of the "Republic of Ireland" Irish nigh always chose to sign for the EPL (or its previous incarnations) or English lower leagues. Rangers approached a few Irish people, Houghton and Maybury spring to mind. They declined because of the problems it would cause to their families at home. It is not all about wanting a player, but the player et al have to come too.

Ever since Mo Johnston, hardly anyone at Ibrox, be they supporter or official, ever checked the religion or race of a player that was deemed good enough. Ever since then, those who kept this Irish/Catholic stuff on did not come from the Blue side of Glasgow. And rest assured, in years to come, we will still hear it, as certain sections in the media simply cannot let it go. But these sections, much more so than those few hardliners that every support carries on (just look at Joe O'Rourke of the Celtic Supporters Trust) truly live in a past. In essence, it is like talking to Germans of nowadays and keep banging on about the Nazis et al. That won't get you far, as it is history. And when it comes to Rangers, it is a history that hardly has any effect on the football (sic!) club of this modern era.

[JTP 0]

Lets never forget that ONE club in Scotland was formed for ONE religion and one religion only. But I'm sure brother Walfrid was seen as a saint for taking the poor boys off the street whereas the reality is they wanted a place where only catholics could play football.

 

Not to mention they then BORROWED many of Hibs players for a game only to then secretly offer them more money and STEALING them.

 

Lieing and bending the rules since 1888.

[tango 0]

What about the club who were set up as a discriminatory club and STILL have not lost that baggage. Surely it is noteworthy enough to justify comment?

 

Would that be the club that have had no other religion in their boardroom except catholic ?

[Tom Davison 0]

Spiers derives pleasure from winding up Rangers supporters and judging by the reaction, he has been, at least, partly successful. Does it matter what Graham Spiers thinks? By reacting to what he says or writes suggests that it does matter when in truth, he is a pompous nobody whose opinion carries no weight.