Scott7 5,166 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Which branch of the 7 family are you, RB? Hederson7? Waddell7, perhaps. Hope it's not the Larrson or Johnstone 7s. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverBear7 0 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Which branch of the 7 family are you, RB? Hederson7? Waddell7, perhaps. Hope it's not the Larrson or Johnstone 7s. The 7 isn't really a football thing, strictly. However, I always liked Kanchelskis a lot. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,499 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Wonder how many songs the Bears would have sung on Sunday had they refrained from those with Loyalist/Ulster links? Would probably have cut the songbook by two thirds? That said, as far as I am aware, we don't exactly live and breathe that which we sing about any longer, i.e. building gallows or wearing the Sash (didn't hear that one) or having flutes about. It is in the songbook and part of the (dire and cynical but still) "banter" we share with a certain side. Only that the latter has started to intoxicate the climate with songs and actions ever since roundabout 2007, by both getting us into trouble with UEFA and swinging the whole sectarian debate in their favor ... or rather having anything sectarian being blamed on us, not least with the help of the compliant media and authorities. Only since last season the media-outcries about this or that song being aired in some remote part of Scotland have ceased, more or less IMHO because we were back in the Premiership and quite a few supporters of other teams rekindled their animosities with us, usually calling us Huns et al, which is as sectarian or discriminatory as it gets - well, apart from modern day Scotland. Likewise, the IRA-okes of the Yahoos have intensified too and since the naughty Behaviour Bill backfired on them too, the media go to even greater lengths to avoid any talk about songs aired by the Yahoos, for the pendulum slowly but surely starts swinging their way too. Problem with our songbook is: where do you start? The main problem we have had is that our songs are "against" someone (Fenian blood, FTP et al), while most of theirs go on about idolizing terrorists. People being against someone/-things are easier targets, as we have seen with UEFA. So that would need to be chopped ... and you would have quite a few of the e.g. loyalist songs remaining, The Sash, Derry's Walls etc., if any add-ons are dropped too. What would they have to do with football though? Well, not much more or less that Penny Arcade. They do, though, carry an air of togetherness* and are, more often than not, good tunes for a sing along. And obviously, one can introduce songs solely about Rangers and football. But we probably have to wait a generation or two ere we see that happening. *And you wonder whether Brexit will be of any "help" here ... I wonder what would happen if the club led the singing with follow the bouncing ball on the big screens? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill 13,717 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 It's only an opinion, and it certainly isn't intended to defend some of the uglier renderings, but I think the "songbook" issue is greatly over-egged. I've known some of the most generous, warm-hearted people to bellow out Derry's Walls, not because they were rabid anti-Catholics but simply because they identified it with Rangers. I know one bloke, married to a Catholic and bringing his daughters up as Catholics, who regularly goes through the full "songbook". In all the decades I've followed the Rangers, the only cause of embarrassment or disgust for me has come from the abuse of alcohol, not from the songs sung by fans in control of their faculties, whatever the words. I still remember the glass bottles raining down on young fans near the front of the terracing - bottles thrown by inebriated fellow Rangers "fans", not propelled by any songbook or loyalist lyrics. If Rangers fans cause trouble you can guarantee they're fuelled by alcohol, not by sectarian fundamentalism. I'm no temperance trumpeter but, come on, sort out the booze culture among football fans before worrying about the words of a few songs, the meaning of which almost no one even thinks about. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,499 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 It's only an opinion, and it certainly isn't intended to defend some of the uglier renderings, but I think the "songbook" issue is greatly over-egged. I've known some of the most generous, warm-hearted people to bellow out Derry's Walls, not because they were rabid anti-Catholics but simply because they identified it with Rangers. I know one bloke, married to a Catholic and bringing his daughters up as Catholics, who regularly goes through the full "songbook". In all the decades I've followed the Rangers, the only cause of embarrassment or disgust for me has come from the abuse of alcohol, not from the songs sung by fans in control of their faculties, whatever the words. I still remember the glass bottles raining down on young fans near the front of the terracing - bottles thrown by inebriated fellow Rangers "fans", not propelled by any songbook or loyalist lyrics. If Rangers fans cause trouble you can guarantee they're fuelled by alcohol, not by sectarian fundamentalism. I'm no temperance trumpeter but, come on, sort out the booze culture among football fans before worrying about the words of a few songs, the meaning of which almost no one even thinks about. I can't argue with that. I can only add that is not just a Rangers problem and maybe even a social problem. Certainly a football problem. My last OF game before I left Britain was the famous 1980 Police horse charge game. That was terrible that day with bottles flying down all about us from further back up the terracing. I managed to get myself behind a pillar but many were taken away with head wounds. Not that it would have made it right but the chances of them hitting a Celtic supporter was nil so it was just premeditated bombardment of your own supporters. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil's advocaat 1,275 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Never been into drinking before a game, did it once at a Euro game years back, CSKA IIRC, couldn't mind anything about the game, and was hungover by the end!. Wasted it, never did it again. I enjoy the spectacle of being at a game far too much, plenty time afterwards for drink. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brunose Alves 0 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Hullo hullo fellow bears. Made it to the 2013 friendly courtesy of a mate that is an Owl but couldn't be there this year. Seem to have a good rapport with the majority of Owls fans so the incident with the old fellah collecting for McMillan was a blow. Good to see so many bears looking to make amends even if there is a suggestion the incident may have been blown out of proportion. Funnily enough Hillsborough was the first stadium I visited in England. Went as a neutral, they were playing Newcastle and I remembered the Newcastle fans as utter eejits and great fun. Considered them my English team for years, and then came Ashley. May just have to start looking out for the Owls results in future. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott7 5,166 Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Spoilt for choice in Chester. Everton, Liverpool, City and United within easy reach. Or Wrexham! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,246 Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 (edited) Spoilt for choice in Chester. Everton, Liverpool, City and United within easy reach. Or Wrexham! While studying at Keele University (Newcastle-under-Lyme) I went to Chester once - a fine old town this - and also took in a few games at the then rather new Britannia Stadium of Stoke. The Victoria Ground was still about too, IIRC. Too bad that Stoke had a massive dip in form back then, build a new stadium and got relegated soon after, methinks. Edited August 1, 2017 by der Berliner 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhunter 0 Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 I can't argue with that. I can only add that is not just a Rangers problem and maybe even a social problem. Certainly a football problem. My last OF game before I left Britain was the famous 1980 Police horse charge game. That was terrible that day with bottles flying down all about us from further back up the terracing. I managed to get myself behind a pillar but many were taken away with head wounds. Not that it would have made it right but the chances of them hitting a Celtic supporter was nil so it was just premeditated bombardment of your own supporters. that game and the carry on that has just occurred with the Hibs support demonstartes quite graphically how well the Rangers support now conducts itself the support in 1980 would have kicked the living shit out of that hibs support 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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