Rangers fans biggest Scotland fans

[MacK1950 2,378]

Only watched game V Belgium to see the Belgian team playing, real superstars,especially Du Bruyne and Hazard.

[DMAA 3,658]

There are far more Rangers fans in the country than any other. Any result other than this would have been a shock. 

[alexscottislegend 2,325]

1 hour ago, pete said:

I don't really get why you would not want to support your national team to be honest. I support Scotland, not the SFA or the Tartain Army. I won't let these people take my support for my national team away. Do I agree how Scotland is run these days then the answer is no but we can't change things by running away we can only change things by being bigger and louder than the rest. If people want to support Engerland or Ireland then fine but unless you have a connection then they are the ones with the identity crisis. My support is in front of the telly of course.

Well said. Time we got back to producing a decent core of the national side like we did with Greig, Henderson et al. At the moment only Jack is a contender (I would have him even just as right back cover) though Hastie and McCrorie may not be too far away.

[JohnMc 2,754]

I don't think you can doubt the credentials of the data, I can't see why the guy publishing it would make something like that up, it could cost him his job for a start. 

The echo chamber nature of modern digital media, and it's particularly pronounced when it comes to football and politics, can lead to tunnel vision, the lack of exposure to people with different views can lead to you believing they simply don't exist. For me this data simply underlines the one universal truth about our support; that it's a very broad church. Personally I've not been to a Scotland match for a couple of decades, having been to almost every home match for the two decades prior to that. I've absolutely no time at all for middle-aged men dressed as extras from Rob Roy and my heart sinks when you see them marching around with feathers in their hats and a look on their face that suggests they think their more Scottish than anyone else. Knobs.

But then, in all honesty, I cringe at some of our songs and some of our fans too, it doesn't stop me supporting Rangers.

I hate flag waving (all flags, whatever their colour or design) and all shows of nationalism (all nationalism, whatever its flavour) make me uncomfortable. Yet I still find myself turning on the radio or the TV and following the Scotland match. In the end I still want 'us' to win, or at least fuckin compete. I also think that international football is perhaps the only 'pure' football left at the elite level. It's much harder (although not impossible) to buy success at that level, smaller nations can and do compete, and at some level it clearly stops being directly about money for the players and becomes about winning for winning's sake again. Yip, I know doing well at international level has a direct affect on a players earning ability and profile, but it still feels less mercenary than club football. 

For me then this simply proves that despite the best efforts of our haters, and some of our own, you simply can't pigeon-hole the Rangers support. We're broad, we come from all over, we've no proscribed views on any subject except wanting Rangers to win. Plus, on some level, the sheer pain and frustration watching Scotland brings does make watching Rangers all the more enjoyable, even in recent years. 

[Bluedell 5,627]

He doesn't say what % are Rangers fans. Could be under 10%. I also wouldn't be surprised if a majority who are Rangers fans don't go to Rangers games.

[Bill 13,717]

It surprises me that apparently no one can say where this “data” came from. It’s unusual for the data not to be accredited. All we are told is who interpreted it and what his credentials are. 

 

The clear aim aim seems to be to deflect any criticism of the SFA rather than attest to any “loyalty” of Rangers fans. Without something to back it up, I still think this is manufactured nonsense.

[JohnMc 2,754]

30 minutes ago, Bluedell said:

He doesn't say what % are Rangers fans. Could be under 10%. I also wouldn't be surprised if a majority who are Rangers fans don't go to Rangers games.

The majority of Rangers fans don't attend matches regularly so there might be something in what you say. Fat Eck always went to Scotland matches and was in the Supporters Club last time I spoke to him (which was a few years ago now) so some who go to both do exist. It could be under 10%, I'm not sure what that proves though? Like a lot of people I was initially surprised by this, but as the club with the biggest support I suppose the odds were we'd still be well represented. 

 

As I understand it the data comes from the official Scotland Supporter's Club member database, there's an option on it to declare what side you support apparently. It was the head of digital for the SFA who published it. I'm not sure the SFA are all that interested in deflecting criticism, they're fairly impervious to it all in all.

[Robert 17]

27 minutes ago, JohnMc said:

 

 Fat Eck always went to Scotland matches and was in the Supporters Club last time I spoke to him (which was a few years ago now) so some who go to both do exist.

 

He still does; I was sat next to him at the Cyprus game. ?

 

I tend to go to most Scotland home games but do so on an ad-hoc basis.

I probably go enough that I might benefit from joining the supporters club but I never know if I'm going until the last minute, unlike with Rangers where I happily commit to the full season at the outset.

[DMAA 3,658]

2 hours ago, JohnMc said:

For me then this simply proves that despite the best efforts of our haters, and some of our own, you simply can't pigeon-hole the Rangers support. We're broad, we come from all over, we've no proscribed views on any subject except wanting Rangers to win

I was waiting for you to comment @JohnMc because like me you seem to have more exposure to Rangers fans outside the central belt bubble where all the anti-Rangers issues are magnified. Most Rangers fans in Scotland don't know what the BBC thing is all about, they don't know what our problem with the SFA is and they don't make it to many games. They still buy the strips for their kids and watch any Rangers games that are on tele and listen to them on the radio.

 

But the idea that the ordinary Rangers fan doesn't support Scotland sounds reasonable only to those who regularly frequent fans forums. To those who don't, they would probably think you meant Celtic fans.

[Bluedell 5,627]

1 hour ago, JohnMc said:

The majority of Rangers fans don't attend matches regularly so there might be something in what you say. Fat Eck always went to Scotland matches and was in the Supporters Club last time I spoke to him (which was a few years ago now) so some who go to both do exist. It could be under 10%, I'm not sure what that proves though? Like a lot of people I was initially surprised by this, but as the club with the biggest support I suppose the odds were we'd still be well represented. 

I guess all it proves is that a vast majority of Scotland fans are not Rangers fans (and most will probably be Rangers haters), despite the headlines.