Enough is enough

[D'Artagnan 173]

I suppose having written about the dehumanisation of our support for the last 20 years yesterday’s events at Hampden should have come as no surprise to me. But they did, and then some. As our bus made its way back home from Hampden we listened to Stuart Cosgrove on the radio. It was something of a masterclass in defending the indefensible. I would urge every Rangers fan to listen to it on the BBC website – it will give you valuable insight into exactly what we are up against as a club and support.

 

Despite co-presenter Tam Cowan’s obvious disgust at what had just been witnessed at Hampden Cosgrove attempted to minimise every aspect of what had transpired, repeatedly telling both fellow presenters and listeners not to become “morally over reactive”. When Chic Young gave a live update confirming the disgraceful scenes Cosgrove went into whataboutery mode asking Young if he had invaded Wembley in 1977. It was pointed out to Cosgrove that those doing so back in 77 didn’t assault players or engage in violence. But to no avail.

 

We have now had “over exuberance” “celebrations” and this preposterous nonsense from Gerry Hassan:

 

“Seriously: can you tell if these are assaults? Or aggressive, stupid, OTT behaviour? Not good either way but diff.”

 

The aforementioned from Hassan was in response to ITN Reporter Peter Adam Smith on Twitter providing both eye witness testimony and mobile phone footage of the assaults on Rangers players.

 

Such scenes and testimony of course do not fit with a poisonous narrative which has been festering for far too many years now in Scotland – neither Rangers nor their supporters are allowed to be victims. While the world was rightly engaged in an outpouring of sympathy for the Hillsborough victims following the verdict of unlawful killing, Rangers staff were cleaning off graffiti from the stadium surrounds as the deaths of our 66 absent friends was mocked.

 

The invasion at the end of the match by Hibs fans caught no one by surprise - except for Police Scotland – its utterly farcical that this organisation claims to pride itself on “intelligence led Policing” Let’s be honest, having won the cup for the first time in 114 years who would deny the long suffering Hibs fans an element of over exuberance and a little dance on the hallowed turf? But over exuberance is not running the length of the pitch to the opposition fans end and challenging them to fight, as I witnessed. Nor is it assaulting players and staff from the opposition team.

 

Photographs, videos, neutral credible eye witness accounts and yet still it appears to take a standard of evidence over and above beyond reasonable doubt to convince some of what transpired yesterday. Can you imagine what the narrative would be today had such a record of events not been so readily available?

 

It would be a serious oversight to look at yesterday’s events in isolation as they were only a manifestation of the much wider problem of bigotry and hatred towards our club. How many of those committing criminal acts against Rangers players and staff were spurred on by a hatred of the “Klan”, “the underclass” or the “Huns” – terms used by journalists or presenters apparently with impunity. It was not only those on the pitch yesterday who should hang their heads in shame.

 

Having been the whipping boys for so long in Scottish football it seems we have now progressed to becoming the punchbag. What will be the next stage? Perhaps the columnists who continually urge Rangers fans to forgive, forget and move on would do well to address their remarks to others.

 

The powerful statement yesterday by the club shows that the narrative has to change.

 

Quite simply – Enough is enough

Edited May 22, 2016 by D'Artagnan

[jhunter 0]

they do these things because there is never any come back

 

Look at what happened to motherwell last season? where was our response - the club and fan's reps?

[D'Artagnan 173]

Listen to Cosgrove's defence of the indefensible here

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07c68nv#play

[cooponthewing 1,139]

Couldn't agree more D'artagnan. I have expressed my feeling on our treatment in other posts. You are spot on. We must act.

[pete 2,499]

Listen to Cosgrove's defence of the indefensible here

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07c68nv#play

 

I don't want to listen to 1hour 30 of that I am afraid.

[RANGERRAB 3,254]

Couldn't agree more D'artagnan. I have expressed my feeling on our treatment in other posts. You are spot on. We must act.

 

We must act ? What do you propose we do?

Until we start to have influence in the running of this country & the establishments within it then we will continue to be seen as fair game by our detractors.

Look at Scottish politics. Other than the tory MSP Murdo Fraser I couldnt name one Scottish politician who supports Rangers.

Plenty of yahoos and others though.And would yahoos vote for a Rangers supporter candidate. I doubt it. But if we will not support a yahoo candidate tht's bigotry to them & others

That needs to change for starters including the media too where I realy do wonder how the pondlife at pacific quay can spout their hatred of all things Rangers and continue to be a publicly funded broadcaster

[26th of foot 5,827]

I listened to Cosgrove on the way home yesterday, and it was more of the same he has been espousing for the last two decades. Continued appeals not to over moralise, running interference, determinedly turning down the amplification, ..................................: actually, buying time until a line has been agreed. Cowan was undermined by the usual Beeb Scotland tactic of broadcasting the listeners' verdict. The show's Producer selected tweets and e-mails to be presented, culminating in blame being apportioned to, 'the Rangers supporters inability to accept defeat'.

 

Big Stu's interference was let's talk about the game and nothing should detract from Hibees enjoying tomorrow's(today's) open topped bus parade around Edinburgh.He read out the SFA statement and ridiculed it, determined it was their game and as such responsible for inadequate stewarding. He read the Rangers statement without comment, then read out an e-mail demanding action on sectarian chanting. Continually, he returned to how this would be reported south of the border. Generally, the Scottish Cup final would be a 20 second clip/item, now they'll be all over it, for all the wrong reasons. Finally, he questioned whether Wallace and McKay had shown anything to justify their Scotland call-ups?

 

Banging on about Cosgrove is important. He tells us that he works on behalf of the Scottish Government. He tells us he lunches with the Lord Advocate. He tells us he attends seminars at Hampden on the behaviour at football Act. He is the ESTABLISHMENT. He neglects to tell us how succulent the lamb is, at these events, but occasionally comments on catering provided. Again, he oft complains Rangers supporters won't let him forget his comfort blanket usage of the 'H' term and orange bastards, to describe Rangers supporters. His regret is focused on personal interest; he and his mucker(Eamon O'Neill) on the Media Review have produced pilots for the proposed Scottish Six. Their choice of vehicles to promote their work, Wings over Scotland and Bella Caledonia. I don't do twitter or Facebook, thus a genuine question; has any elected representitive of this country's establishment party commented on yesterday's scenes?

 

My professional life was about both individual and collective discipline. I recognise it when I see it and can admire it's adherence. Cosgrove has traveled the spectrum of hate. When Kenny Miller first arrived at Ibrox, he scored five goals in a seven zip victory over St Mirren. Cosgrove and Cowan had the Editor of Saints 'zine, 'theres a store where the creatures meet' on the show, he was there to promote their campaign of, 'Stop the Shop, Stop Bigotry'. Rangers were opening a club store in Paisley in the run up to Christmas. Cosgrove repeated the slogan continually, and offered t-shirts as prizes for listeners who penned the best message to be tied to a brick. It was left up to the listeners imagination as to how the brick was to be utilised. The Shop's windows in the next weeks were duly tanned and staff showered in glass. Stu' has left such naked hatred behind, he is more disciplined as yesterday's broadcast proves. He hates more carefully.

 

Meanwhile, we await the reaction of both the Lord Advocate and the Justice Minister? Don't expect anything, last year a ten year old Rangers supporter was bottled on a supporters bus traveling to the old firm semi-final. Frank and Michael said nothing, two months past, Police Scotland reported the investigation had stopped due to lack of evidence and assistance from the public. As victims, Rangers supporters are views as being awkward and inconvenient, and that's the reason for Big Stu's awkward and inconvenient performance yesterday.

[D'Artagnan 173]

I listened to Cosgrove on the way home yesterday, and it was more of the same he has been espousing for the last two decades. Continued appeals not to over moralise, running interference, determinedly turning down the amplification, ..................................: actually, buying time until a line has been agreed. Cowan was undermined by the usual Beeb Scotland tactic of broadcasting the listeners' verdict. The show's Producer selected tweets and e-mails to be presented, culminating in blame being apportioned to, 'the Rangers supporters inability to accept defeat'.

 

Big Stu's interference was let's talk about the game and nothing should detract from Hibees enjoying tomorrow's(today's) open topped bus parade around Edinburgh.He read out the SFA statement and ridiculed it, determined it was their game and as such responsible for inadequate stewarding. He read the Rangers statement without comment, then read out an e-mail demanding action on sectarian chanting. Continually, he returned to how this would be reported south of the border. Generally, the Scottish Cup final would be a 20 second clip/item, now they'll be all over it, for all the wrong reasons. Finally, he questioned whether Wallace and McKay had shown anything to justify their Scotland call-ups?

 

Banging on about Cosgrove is important. He tells us that he works on behalf of the Scottish Government. He tells us he lunches with the Lord Advocate. He tells us he attends seminars at Hampden on the behaviour at football Act. He is the ESTABLISHMENT. He neglects to tell us how succulent the lamb is, at these events, but occasionally comments on catering provided. Again, he oft complains Rangers supporters won't let him forget his comfort blanket usage of the 'H' term and orange bastards, to describe Rangers supporters. His regret is focused on personal interest; he and his mucker(Eamon O'Neill) on the Media Review have produced pilots for the proposed Scottish Six. Their choice of vehicles to promote their work, Wings over Scotland and Bella Caledonia. I don't do twitter or Facebook, thus a genuine question; has any elected representitive of this country's establishment party commented on yesterday's scenes?

 

My professional life was about both individual and collective discipline. I recognise it when I see it and can admire it's adherence. Cosgrove has traveled the spectrum of hate. When Kenny Miller first arrived at Ibrox, he scored five goals in a seven zip victory over St Mirren. Cosgrove and Cowan had the Editor of Saints 'zine, 'theres a store where the creatures meet' on the show, he was there to promote their campaign of, 'Stop the Shop, Stop Bigotry'. Rangers were opening a club store in Paisley in the run up to Christmas. Cosgrove repeated the slogan continually, and offered t-shirts as prizes for listeners who penned the best message to be tied to a brick. It was left up to the listeners imagination as to how the brick was to be utilised. The Shop's windows in the next weeks were duly tanned and staff showered in glass. Stu' has left such naked hatred behind, he is more disciplined as yesterday's broadcast proves. He hates more carefully.

 

Meanwhile, we await the reaction of both the Lord Advocate and the Justice Minister? Don't expect anything, last year a ten year old Rangers supporter was bottled on a supporters bus traveling to the old firm semi-final. Frank and Michael said nothing, two months past, Police Scotland reported the investigation had stopped due to lack of evidence and assistance from the public. As victims, Rangers supporters are views as being awkward and inconvenient, and that's the reason for Big Stu's awkward and inconvenient performance yesterday.

 

Spot on 26th. Absolutely nailed it.

[ian1964 10,409]

I think we fans should should urge the Rangers board to ban the Hobos from Ibrox

[craig 5,195]

I think we fans should should urge the Rangers board to ban the Hobos from Ibrox

 

By the time we have to worry about that much of it will be forgotten.

 

Personally I pull go the other way. If I was Rangers I would be refusing any future ticket allocation for Easter Road, thereby denying them any of the blue pound. It would hurt them more than a couple of hundred of their fans no longer being allowed entry to Ibrox