CammyF 6,779 Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Leading on from Gribzââ?¬â?¢s post regarding Manchester Unitedââ?¬â?¢s decision to enforce a minutes silence at the Manchester derby in respect and memory of those tragically lost in the Munich disaster - http://www.gersnetonline.net/vb/showthread.php?t=5718 I thought that I would take this opportunity to question why so many Scottish based Rangers fans despise Manchester United so much. Especially when you look closely at both clubs, youââ?¬â?¢ll see that we have so much in common. Unfortunately, the most obvious thing that we have in common is that we have had to cope with disasters that have shaped our futures. We have also had to endure endless taunts regarding these tragic events. In fact, after Hillsbourgh, the Manchester United fans sang to Liverpool fans, ââ?¬Ë?Whereââ?¬â?¢s Your Famous Munich Songââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬â?? a reference to the years of taunts they were subjected to from the scousers. A dignified way to show the scousers up for their cruel jibes and taunts. Another tag that even we are guilty of associating with Manchester United fans is the fact that a large number of their fans are not from Manchester. So, what is the crime there? Is it any worse Man U fans coming from London than Rangers fans hailing from Edinburgh, Aberdeen or even London? Of course it isnââ?¬â?¢t. Here is something else that we have in common. The city that we hail from is important, but it isnââ?¬â?¢t restrictive. We are know as ââ?¬Ë?The Rangersââ?¬â?¢, they are know simply as ââ?¬Ë?Unitedââ?¬â?¢. The team name is more important than the city. I hear arguments from Rangers fans that they hate Man U due to their ââ?¬Ë?love-inââ?¬â?¢ with Celtc. Well, if you read any Manchester United fanzine, youââ?¬â?¢ll find that the ââ?¬Ë?love-inââ?¬â?¢ is mostly a one way street (like most of the Celtc love ins). It is also worth noting the activities of the Manchester casuals ââ?¬â?? read their book and see what they think of The Vatican City and the Bloody Sunday marches in their home citiesââ?¬Â¦! One of the strongest similarities is that both Rangers and Manchester United as despised in their own countries. The simple reason for this? We are seen (and in our case are) as the most successful clubs and are the clubs that fans of other clubs love to hate. It is actually an underhanded compliment. If you question Ulster based Bears, a large percentage will name Manchester United as their English team ââ?¬â?? usually down to George Bests career, but it is a tradition that is carried on today. Manchester United fans are also very imaginative when it comes to bringing new songs to their games. This is something that we were famed for but have sadly neglected in recent years. However, with the invention of fans groups like TBO, CDL etc, this has made a welcome return to Ibrox. I was also very impressed with the actions of Manchester United fans when their club was sold to the 'Yanks'. They organised themselves brilliantly and I believe that our very own RST are mirroring the Man U ST in some of thewir actions - not a bad example to follow. In conclusion, and I say this is no friend of Manchester United, I donââ?¬â?¢t understand why so many of us hate Manchester United. However, no matter what you think of them, you have to respect (even although it may be grudging) their decision to stand by their morals and enforce a minutes silence rather than applause. Cammy F 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon 0 Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Ive no time for the alegiencies(sp) created by so called together teams/like minded teams/ political minde teams or whatever. I like who I like. The people who follow a team for any other reason, I believe to be pretty sad. I think no matter what your feeling of the club (and I certainly dont hate them) you have to respect the quality of football, no matter what era you are from. That doesnt just go for Man Utd, but any team. The thing I have seen from this throughout the day is that Man City know their fans will not respect a minutes silence for what was a tragedy and apparantly a great team. It takes nothing to keep your mouth shut for one minute, you may not know, be aware etc, but you will be aware of what is expected. As I say, Man City FC do not have this belief in their fans. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Agreed Cammy, and I think you posted something similar last year. Have to say my opinions on Man U have changed over the years. 10 years I couldnt stand Man U. But have grown to respect them and are far from my worst english team now. Times change but Liverpool seem to be the club i cant be done with at the moment. They seem to live in a fantasy they they are the team who have a devine right to win things, they are living in past glories. They also take a bit of pity on themselves due to past disasters and use this for self promotion. Dont get me wrong we all think these disasters are a tradegy but one has to wonder why they happen to Liverpool all the time. However at the moment i feel for rafa due to his treatment by the american owners. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,411 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Rangers then Scotland for me,then I really don't care for anybody else.I find it strange that some fans say they support two teams !!,although it's common,but I just can't. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Rangers then Scotland for me,then I really don't care for anybody else.I find it strange that some fans say they support two teams !!,although it's common,but I just can't. Not strange for me mate, I also support West Ham aswell as the Gers, and have done for 19 years. This is coz the Gers were my first team when I started watching football at a young age but when I was 9 I moved to London for a few years. I didnt get Scottish football down south then at all. My old man knew London well and took me to West Ham and we didnt look back since - going to see them home and away almost every week for the few years we stayed down there. When i moved back north i was able to get back to Ibrox again as my best mate was a fellow Bear and we were old enough to travel down from Aberdeen for it. West Ham are on TV for me as much as Gers so still support them. But I can see your point if you've only had one team to follow but then are plenty like me who have grown up watching 2 teams. Its those who have lived in 1 city all their life and have a fantasy about support a club which does my head in. Everyone is entitled to like who they want but you get the odd pap from Aberdeen who says they have support Man Utd all their life but barely go to any aberdeen games never mind Old trafford. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I'm in the one team, one country camp and I've always thought that Scots supporting English teams has been detrimental to the Scottish League. I've known quite a few Scots who watched the premiership on Sky but did not have Setanta - so no wonder Sky don't need to pay good money for the SPL. (However I think it's backfired on them and the gap in the market for the SPL has turned Setanta into a huge competitor for Sky.) Those who support an English team, how do you put up with your fellow fans slagging off Scottish football and Rangers at every opportunity? Most English fans are so up their arses about the EPL that they just can't help themselves - even just after a Scottish team beats an English one! In all of Europe, only the English predominantly slag off Scottish football, so if you're after a second team, I'd say it's best to choose a different country to find one, if you are Scottish. BTW I live in England and put up with it all the time; sometimes it's just banter, but most of the time it's mainly them being supercilious. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,195 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Not strange for me mate, I also support West Ham aswell as the Gers, and have done for 19 years. This is coz the Gers were my first team when I started watching football at a young age but when I was 9 I moved to London for a few years. I didnt get Scottish football down south then at all. My old man knew London well and took me to West Ham and we didnt look back since - going to see them home and away almost every week for the few years we stayed down there. When i moved back north i was able to get back to Ibrox again as my best mate was a fellow Bear and we were old enough to travel down from Aberdeen for it. West Ham are on TV for me as much as Gers so still support them. But I can see your point if you've only had one team to follow but then are plenty like me who have grown up watching 2 teams. Its those who have lived in 1 city all their life and have a fantasy about support a club which does my head in. Everyone is entitled to like who they want but you get the odd pap from Aberdeen who says they have support Man Utd all their life but barely go to any aberdeen games never mind Old trafford. Same as you Gribz but in reverse.... I lived in England and used to go to Highbury every other week (in the days when Arsenal would get pumped 2-0 at home to ......... Swansea... even with players like Jennings, Brady, Sunderland, Sansom in the team) but when I used to visit family in Scotland I would always get taken to Ibrox by two of my uncles. Makes perfect sense, in our situation, to have two teams to support. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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