CammyF 6,779 Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 As we approach the new season, I have decided to take a different approach from Frankie who (rightly) gave you have analysis of our team that we expect to wrestle our title back from the inhabitants of Torbett Towers. Just as important as the squads ââ?¬Ë?on-fieldââ?¬â?¢ performances this season, is ââ?¬Ë?off-fieldââ?¬â?¢ performance. And, I am not just talking about the abysmal atmosphere at Ibrox. We are well and truly in UEFAââ?¬â?¢s sights and they have plenty of allies waiting for our first slip-up so they can run back to UEFA and point the finger at us ââ?¬Ë?big, bad bigoted Hunsââ?¬â?¢. Make no mistake, blind refusal to listen to UEFA (and Murray and supporters representatives) is no longer an option. If we donââ?¬â?¢t heed this warning, Rangers Football Club will suffer accordingly. Some will say that bowing to UEFA is a sign of weakness, that it is the first step to losing all of our songs and that those who support axing of The Billy Boys are ââ?¬Ë?sell-outsââ?¬â?¢, ââ?¬Ë?PC-brigadeââ?¬â?¢ etc. Given David Murrayââ?¬â?¢s refusal to back us even once, over the last decade, has led to us being unable to defend ourselves from this UEFA decision. In my opinion, we have no option but to comply with the UEFA directive as going against it is only going to lead to Rangers being deducted points, relegated, thrown out of Europe etc, and I donââ?¬â?¢t think that there is one Rangers fan that really wants to see that happen. The argument that ââ?¬Ë?fenianââ?¬â?¢ isnââ?¬â?¢t directed at Catholics and Craptic fans lost any credibility when sections of our fan-base started to sing the cringe-worthy ââ?¬Ë?You Are A Fenianââ?¬â?¢. There is no denying that sections of our fans think / believe that a Fenian is a Catholic or a Craptic fan. Cutting to the chase, there are going to be two distinct camps amongst the support this year ââ?¬â?? those who will refrain from singing The Billy Boys and those who will continue to sing this song as an act of defiance. Both will claim that they are right, both will see the other section as ââ?¬Ë?the enemy withinââ?¬â?¢. This is concerning, as is the fact that there has been no leadership from the club (although this was promised). So folks, Iââ?¬â?¢d like to appeal for calm from both sides over this issue and I urge the club (we only have over a week to our first home game) to release a statement that details what songs are considered ââ?¬Ë?singableââ?¬â?¢ and which arenââ?¬â?¢t. They must also clearly outline the severity of any punishment that we are likely to receive from UEFA for continued singing of The Billy Boysââ?¬Â¦. So, what ââ?¬Ë?campââ?¬â?¢ am I in? Iââ?¬â?¢m in the ââ?¬Ë?bin it for the good of Rangers Football Clubââ?¬â?¢ camp but can understand why people donââ?¬â?¢t want to give an inch over this song. At a time where Italian clubs are getting reduced sentences from match fixing, we are getting hammered from a ââ?¬Ë?songââ?¬â?¢. Apart from that issue, lets get right behind PLG and the squad and lets make ourselves the 12th man. I remember not so long ago that Ibrox was one of the most intimidating stadium in the world ââ?¬â?? we are the only people that can make this happen again. Cammy F 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmcd_rfc 0 Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Great post Cammy. I'm in the same camp as yourself. Everyone is watching and just waiting for us to get hammered for it, lets not give them anything. We always beat them on the park so lets beat them off it too. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 0 Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I am in favour of it being binned but not strictly for the good of the club; I just loathe the song and feel tunes of sectarian hate are not what we should be about. However, this forum numbers less than 200 so unless you go onto Follow Follow and make the same post (Wonder how long before you got banned...), such an appeal isn't going to get worthy and substantial exposure. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CammyF 6,779 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 I am in favour of it being binned but not strictly for the good of the club; I just loathe the song and feel tunes of sectarian hate are not what we should be about. However, this forum numbers less than 200 so unless you go onto Follow Follow and make the same post (Wonder how long before you got banned...), such an appeal isn't going to get worthy and substantial exposure. I don't post on FF! However, this will be part of my article from the first No1 Fanzine of the season (if it gets published and I see no reason for it not!) If we are to educate people into NOT singing certain songs, they way to approach it is to show what the consiquences to Rangers will be if we don't refrain. Rangers is the one constant that runs thro our support, so the good of Rangers is in EVERYONE's hearts. Cammy F 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,148 Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 It's a fair post and one which most Rangers fans probably agree with. Also to be fair Danny, several such posts have appeared on FF without them being removed. FF may be less PC than other forums but there are many people who are trying to get the Billy Boys ban message across. What is needed, as Cammy touched on, is more leadership and clarification from Rangers. I can assure everyone that will be forthcoming. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 0 Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 tbh, I don't think even telling folk that they're hurting the club will make any difference. There are thousands of fans who will continue to 'defiantly' sing the song believing it's their right and damn anyone who opposes them. I know plenty of folk with this mentality and reasoning with them is impossible. I remember one guy I know who said he'd kick the shit out of anyone who told him not to sing it. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CammyF 6,779 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 tbh, I don't think even telling folk that they're hurting the club will make any difference. There are thousands of fans who will continue to 'defiantly' sing the song believing it's their right and damn anyone who opposes them. I know plenty of folk with this mentality and reasoning with them is impossible. I remember one guy I know who said he'd kick the shit out of anyone who told him not to sing it. So has he caught up with UEFA deligates, spokespersons from TBO, RST and RSA as well as David Murray???? That exact reasoning is why I asked for calm, and leadership. For example, if David Murray makes it clear that anyone singing it will be banned from Ibrox for life, I am sure there will be a change in attitudes. Bizzarely, the UEFA decision only affects Ibrox - so apart from OF and European games, we really don't have a problem - TBO apart, nobody sings ANYTHING at Ibrox these days... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colshy18 0 Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 i`m one of those that probably WOULD sing the billy boys. i have been on record before on here as saying that we should NOT give in to uefa and we will lose all our credibility if we continue to let them dictate to us. i don`t like the fact their jumping on us and telling us what we can and can`t do. i believe this song IS part of us whether you like it or not and their WILL be plenty of fans who sing it this season. however, having read what cammy has had to say it made me think for sure. it`s a great post and if you read it you can see that WE ALL need to stick together here and show that we are not racist bigots, but great fans who can back our club through thick and thin. i honestly won`t know whether i sing it until i turn up and sample the atmosphere on the day. i will only then know if i will do the RIGHT thing! but, i`m really thinking of what is good for us now! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,148 Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Like other less PC songs before it, the offensive version of BBs will die out. The so called offending word in the song can be debated till we're blue in the face but as long as UEFA (and enemies closer to home) take an interest we cannot sing that song. That will be made clear to anyone who does try and sing it either via fan self-policing along with further official guidance. I'm hoping that the situation will be clarified regarding singing different versions of the song sooner rather than later. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CammyF 6,779 Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 The leadership needs to come from 'respected' Rangers people as well - by that, I am meaning RST spokesmen like David Edgar and Stephen Smith, the editors of the fanzines, Robert McElroy etc. Frankie, I am sure you guys are on this as we speak and I look forward to hearing what the respective groups have to say on this (thorny) subject. I liked David Edgar's line - education not condemnation - an excellent line and would make an effective title for any announcements from the club, RST etc. Cammy F 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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