Graham Spiers - 'Cowardly Rangers turn a blind eye to bigotry'

[Zappa 0]

The club doesn't actually have grounds to ban him unless they somehow make it an official legal matter.

Do we need "grounds"? Can't they just say he's persona non grata. Surely it's a private building or event or whatever and they can refuse him entry with absolutely f.a. grounds at all.

Of course they could, but he'd only go out of his way to make it reflect badly on the club. The only way it could be done is if the club were taking legal action against him or his employer, but that's highly unlikely to happen.

[Big Spliff 0]

One of the first notable themes to emerge from Rangers fanzines (which preceded message-boards and websites by some way) was the question of media bias. Obviously, until then, one never heard of it in the media, be it TV, radio or the press. ââ?¬Å?Weirdââ?¬Â, I thought......

 

By the way; for media ââ?¬Ë?biasââ?¬â?¢, read ââ?¬Ë?agendaââ?¬â?¢. They may not literally be the same thing, but for all intents and purposes, an agenda (if there is one and it can be classed as slanted in one way or another) and a bias is the same thing. They each represent a skew towards a specific view, opinion or position.

 

And so, here we are - a long time later - and, step forward G. Spiers. Now, if you think Iââ?¬â?¢m arguing that Mr. Spiers is in the wrong for pointing out that Rangers fans shouted ââ?¬Å?f*ck the popeââ?¬Â on Sunday in Ibrox Stadium, I am not going where you think. He is perfectly entitled to discuss this issue if he wants; itââ?¬â?¢s a free press after all, and the people amongst us who shout ââ?¬Å?f*ck the popeââ?¬Â would surely agree or argue that free speech is an enshrined and given right in this hard-fought-for free society?

 

The issue is not Spiersââ?¬â?¢ opinion or choosing to voice his opinions about Rangers and Rangers fans. The issue is that, despite possibly 1000 opportunities even since this football season started, that he chooses ââ?¬â?? yes chooses ââ?¬â?? to take up this crusade where there is only one target and only one loser; Rangers FC. Actually, make that two; add us, the Rangers fans.

 

This man has to be stopped in his tracks. He is ââ?¬â?? 100% - knowingly and intentionally stirring the pot. He hopes to gain credence, publicity, and (possibly?) a change in supporter behaviour at Rangers. He sees himself as some sort of antithesis to the sports-writing world (and the real world) which he reluctantly, and with difficulty, ââ?¬Ë?inhabitsââ?¬â?¢. Well good for him.

 

The man does Rangers no good. He makes it his mission to cast shadows over good work and strengthen ââ?¬â?? in fact begin to build ââ?¬â?? arguments against you and me. And all the while he turns a blind or a cursory eye to everything else thatââ?¬â?¢s questionable within the culture of football. Thereââ?¬â?¢s hardly a need to argue that homophobic chants are illegal, yet they occur. Thereââ?¬â?¢s hardly a need to highlight that causing offence by mocking people who live in ââ?¬Å?slumsââ?¬Â or genuinely go hungry in the middle of a recession is in poor taste (I know that as a football fan this is hardly offensive, but it could be seen as such none-the-less). Thereââ?¬â?¢s hardly a need to even begin to say that listening to songs and chants which decry and insult the Servicemen and women of our country are extremely offensive to many, many people. But they donââ?¬â?¢t matter. Only one issue ââ?¬â?? sectarianism ââ?¬â?? matters in the world of G. Spiers.

 

We know who his target is. Donââ?¬â?¢t letââ?¬â?¢s lie down against this agenda-laden freak. But donââ?¬â?¢t fight back by shouting ââ?¬Å?f*ck the popeââ?¬Â or in any other ill-conceived way. Fight back by damaging this man professionally in whatever way you can - and do his utterings and mutterings the twisted damage that they deserve. Find a way. Like it or not, he is here and he has us in his sights. He chose this, not us.

 

It�s time for Rangers FC to step forward. This guy has an agenda, he is biased, he is out to get us and he�s bad news. If Rangers are indeed cowardly (as Spiers says) and won't do it, then we must.

 

As they say in certain parts of Englandshire; ââ?¬Å?best get ridââ?¬Â.

[Zappa 0]

How to get rid, that is the question.

 

Great piece Big_Spliff !!

[Super_Ally 0]

I don't think merely ignoring him works.

 

He still gets to spread his bile and he could still start another crusade like the UEFA fiasco that hurt us before.

 

There has to be some sort of reprisal for this man's behaviour. But I don't know what it is or how we achieve it? Why do people keep employing this scrote to stir this sectarianism issue into much more than it is?

[Gribz 850]

1/ Why is he allowed into Ibrox?

 

.

 

Best question yet! Just stop him gaining entry and let him bark on about not getting in which will make him look like a child mumping about being grounded.

 

But what gets me most about the article is its all 1 sided. You dont need to sit in the Celtic end to hear the songs they sing.

 

The poor guy thinks he is a journalist.

[andrew_2010 0]

ARGH! UEFA found us innocent first time round did they not?! yet everytime its dragged up its like they smited us from on high! I was losing interest in speirs, but this story really grinds my gears. Can we really afford to just ignore it and hope it goes away when this is what non-gers fans will be reading about us?

[andy steel 0]

Well, there's always the other side to that coin, Andrew, which is that when I introduce myself as a Rangers fan I can destroy all his arguments in about 30 seconds flat. Were they based in reality it would be more of a problem, but if someone is willing to give you a few minutes to hear you out - and normal people do, although that rules out journos and tims - his rubbish lies discredited, wrapped around the fish supper of irrelevance in the chippy of cyclopia.

 

I did enjoy a frisson of pleasure in a Manchester pub, when, being hailed as 'another Nazi!' (in a jovial manner, if that's possible) I recounted at some length the Communist Manifesto to an increasingly desperate and bored group of regulars. Their luck was out, though...the way to the door was blocked by a sea of blue.

 

So even if Spiers had a constituency in England (which he doesn't) and even if he had some influence in Scotland (which he doesn't) the simple answer to his misinformation is the truth.

[Big Spliff 0]

Well, there's always the other side to that coin, Andrew, which is that when I introduce myself as a Rangers fan I can destroy all his arguments in about 30 seconds flat. Were they based in reality it would be more of a problem, but if someone is willing to give you a few minutes to hear you out - and normal people do, although that rules out journos and tims - his rubbish lies discredited, wrapped around the fish supper of irrelevance in the chippy of cyclopia.

 

I did enjoy a frisson of pleasure in a Manchester pub, when, being hailed as 'another Nazi!' (in a jovial manner, if that's possible) I recounted at some length the Communist Manifesto to an increasingly desperate and bored group of regulars. Their luck was out, though...the way to the door was blocked by a sea of blue.

 

So even if Spiers had a constituency in England (which he doesn't) and even if he had some influence in Scotland (which he doesn't) the simple answer to his misinformation is the truth.

 

The challenge is to tell the truth and reach a mass of people which SG reaches every day. About 50-60 people read this board every day and probably 10,000-20,000 read his column.

 

His audience is small in comparison to the Sun or if comparing Clyde to 5-live once a week, but it's large in comparison to what Rangers fans have to offer.

 

That is just fact.

[Super_Ally 0]

The challenge is to tell the truth and reach a mass of people which SG reaches every day. About 50-60 people read this board every day and probably 10,000-20,000 read his column.

 

His audience is small in comparison to the Sun or if comparing Clyde to 5-live once a week, but it's large in comparison to what Rangers fans have to offer.

 

That is just fact.

 

And that is precisely why we can't just ignore him.

 

I also disagree that the vast majority outwith tims are smart enough to understand that he is full of shit even when you give them the facts.

 

As an example, f enian is now accepted as sectarian. Why? Because the press said so. Most don't trouble themselves to find out what this word means, what are the connotations? Is it sectarian? They just hear it and think bigot.

 

Whilst the agenda is set by those who are so biased and one-sided sticking our fingers in our ears and humming loudly will not suffice.

[Big Spliff 0]

And that is precisely why we can't just ignore him.

 

I also disagree that the vast majority outwith tims are smart enough to understand that he is full of shit even when you give them the facts.

 

As an example, f enian is now accepted as sectarian. Why? Because the press said so. Most don't trouble themselves to find out what this word means, what are the connotations? Is it sectarian? They just hear it and think bigot.

 

Whilst the agenda is set by those who are so biased and one-sided sticking our fingers in our ears and humming loudly will not suffice.

 

And on that we agree mate. Ignoring him = hoping he'll go away IMHO.

 

Well, he's still here.