Frankie 8,209 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Football really is a funny old game. Speak to most people who were at Berwick last weekend and they'll tell you what a great day out they had. Yes, once again the actual football wasn't top-class but the atmosphere was loud, the beer cold and the result positive. Once again the bears had a party and, by and large, most people in Berwick would have enjoyed our company as well. Certainly Northumbria Police seemed happy enough. Unfortunately, those of us who had to watch the game on the telly were given a different impression. Quite quickly it was obvious that some of the younger lads in the support were intent in perhaps taking the songbook a bit too far. We heard inane stuff about fen!an blood/barstewards and even the downright awful dirge 'No Pope of Rome' - chants which are definitely 'inappropriate' as the club described them. Inevitably, in their haste to be offended it wasn't long before non-Rangers fans complained to ESPN who were covering the game live for TV and both Derek Rae who was commentating and Ray Stubbs in the studio fulfilled their public services for the day by apologising and reassuring us that police were on the case. Phew - we all know the damage such songs can do! The reaction since has been noteworthy. The usual hypocrites were out in force and once again the narrative of big, bad (new?) Rangers was set. People were falling over themselves to stick the boot in and even our own fans and club were keen to castigate the fans responsible for the chants. And who could blame them - even if, as always, it was a small (though certainly vocal) minority that were the source of the problem? Since then the club and the bloggers have also been criticised for their negative reaction - not from fans of other clubs but from those that seek to preserve their right to sing about the issues perhaps not directly associated with supporting a football club. Are they right or are they just fed up with a perceived witch-hunt? Ever the pragmatist, I can see both points of view and have some sympathy with those that feel their free speech is being criminalised because of people offended by name-calling. Add in the obvious hypocrisy and confusion in many facets of the debate then the issue is a bit more complicated than some will admit. For example, since we first had our initial censure with UEFA almost ten years ago, there's no doubt our fans have cleaned up their act. That's why whenever we do have an off-day (no-one's perfect!) the subsequent uproar is so fascinating. For example, the Billy Boys was banned by UEFA in 2006 and we've only heard it a handful of times since while the much-chastised 'Famine Song' (sic) hasn't been heard for a long time. Meanwhile, representatives of FoCUS have urged in meetings that other similar stuff about fen!ans, the UVF, the YCV and, bizarrely, even songs against the IRA will be punished by arrest. Generally speaking, you won't hear such nonsense. Therefore, in actual fact, to all intents and purposes Rangers fans have removed the offensive stuff and performances like Saturday afternoon are, in actual fact, the clear exception to the norm. If that's true then, why are people not asking why these songs occasionally do return? Why do some fans want to sing stuff they know will annoy others? Thus, if you take away some external factors (away trips, cheap booze, different fans) you're left with a word that has been used a lot (usually erroneously) this season: defiance. Quite simply Rangers fans see other clubs and supports get away with similar behaviour so some folk will think what's good for the goose. At Tannadice earlier in the month we had a large majority of Dundee Utd fans singing about huns. Yet, the Scotland on Sunday (deputy edited by an Arab) didn't mention this despite a bizarre article detailing the rest of the songs the triumphant home support goaded the away fans with. Meanwhile, late last year hundreds of Celtic fans rioted at Dens Park and the media coverage was, shall we say, minimalistic. Certainly no comments from TV or radio commentators during the game. And is it any wonder given BBC Scotland received up to 1000 complaints from Celtic fans when they dared criticise the Celtic songbook at the Scottish Cup Final in 2011? Celtic FC simply asked for 'clarification' according to one BBC spokesperson in The Sun. It's not often you'll hear Peter Lawwell or their fan groups/bloggers apologise for their songbook! All in all the whole offensive song debate is one of inconsistency, hypocrisy and confusion. Fan reps are left frustrated with the police. The police are left frustrated with the politicians. The fans are annoyed with slewed media coverage. The media seem incapable of delving below the surface so concentrate only on the fans they know won't fight back. A genuine vicious circle then, so as Rangers supporters what options do we have? To me that does seem quite simple, even if I wholly understand why some fans are so sick of the double standards. Bill Struth said the following: "To be a Ranger is to sense the sacred trust of upholding all that such a name means in this shrine of football. They must be true in their conception of what the Ibrox tradition seeks from them. No true Ranger has ever failed in the tradition set him." Now, I'm sure Bill Struth wasn't perfect either but I also very much doubt he'd have viewed songs about Glasgow razor gangs, fen!ans and the Pope or Catholicism as sacred. Traditional they may well be in that they've been sung by many for so long but not all traditions are worth keeping. Do any of us really think such songs are appropriate to the history of Rangers? Most of us don't given such stuff is dying out in the main. To conclude, I think our fans are adhering to Struth's words. Sure, we're not perfect and we'll continue to make mistakes and take liberties but we'll get there eventually - no doubt about it. In the meantime, if we hear any offensive songs from other tipsy away fans, be sure to contact ESPN, Sky and BBC Scotland as I'm sure they'll be keen to apply the Shielfield standard to everyone from now on. And, if they don't, who cares as our shrine and traditions will be here much, much longer than any of them. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Perhaps you should stick that Struth quote up in the Rangers offices, maybe then they would grow a pair and give the fans the help we are crying out for. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,209 Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 Perhaps you should stick that Struth quote up in the Rangers offices, maybe then they would grow a pair and give the fans the help we are crying out for. I agree with that to an extent but after what happened on Saturday, there was no way we could being others into it. However, as I touched on in the article, they and us do need to be more clever in our approach to the subject generally. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Dynamo 128 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 A well written article. I enjoyed reading it.... I would agree that Rangers themselves need to meet with supporters groups and clubs to put out a united front against the type of incident seen on Saturday. We have enough people attacking us for other reasons at the moment without giving them more mud to sling at us. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NJS Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 A great post Frankie! Even being the cleanest of supports will not suffice. Our politicians use football fans as a scapegoat and a deflection from them actually having to get to the root of the problems. They suggest that football fans are the root cause of the sectarian issues in the west of Scotland, yet they wouldn't dare suggest where the seeds are grown. We are not perfect as a support and never will be, no support will.. but we should not be singled out whenever we make a mistake, If the media, police and politicians had set a constant precedent there would no doubt be fewer instances of stepping out of line. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilledbear 16 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 A bit of sanity, nice one Frankie. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Great read Frankie and I liked your prodding tongue in cheek conclusion. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I agree with that to an extent but after what happened on Saturday, there was no way we could being others into it. However, as I touched on in the article, they and us do need to be more clever in our approach to the subject generally. Equality should be a basic human right, not just when you think you deserve it by attaining some imaginary standard put in place by people who hate you. I'm not asking us to start point fingers like a wee wean in school, I just want my club and fellow fans to get a fair crack of the whip in the media. It needs pointed out there are far far worse in Scottish football than us out there. Its time to start fighting back from our knees is as good a place as any. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54andcounting 0 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 One day it will be an offence to wear a Rangers scarf. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy 0 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Fantastic piece Frankie. Have you a link for this other than the thread one? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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