The death of Rangers FC (1872-2012) and the difficult first years of Sevco have recently been dubbed “the banter years” by some within that sub-culture.
The dictionary definition of the word “banter” is:
“The playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks.”
This indicates that the death of their original football club and the Sevco sitcom was met with a wry smile and ironic laughter by a group of folk who had learned to laugh at themselves.
Au contraire.
The reality was much grubbier and much darker.
This “banter” included various criminal acts aimed at silencing the truth about what had happened to Rangers (1872-2012).
A book editor was threatened, bookstore staff accosted and harassed.
Their “crime” was to be associated with my book “Downfall”, which was about the death of Rangers.
Others who were threatened by The People included a leading lawyer who had given his time to be part of the SFA judicial system.
His home was put under police guard.
I witnessed up close and personal the human cost of some of this intimidation.
At no point did I think I was witnessing “banter”.
Thankfully a judge in Scotland didn’t see the funny side either.
It did not escape my attention that took a young woman to face down the klan in open court.
Furth of Scotland real journalists had no problems in seeing clearly what this about.
Here is the take from a professor of journalism one of the victims of such “banter”.
Now apparently the clumsy revisionism that is out there is that the home crowd at Ibrox had a good laugh about it all.
“Many of the moments are surreal but they did really happen. Amongst the anger and the disbelief, it was a case of if you didn’t laugh you’d cry for the punters.”
Really?
In the summer of 2012 self-deprecating humour was not the default position of The People.
Rather it was vicious anger directed at anyone who fitted their ever widening targeting criteria.
What was abroad in Fair Caledonia was a self-pitying lynch mob who desperately wanted to find a target for their inchoate conspiracy theory.
As a journalist who has been writing about the crisis at Ibrox since the start of 2009, I would not characterise any of the responses from The People as being within the realm of “banter”.
The experience of any journalist who dared to suggest a counter-narrative to the Ibrox saga was instructive.
Most of them made their peace with the situation.
For the avoidance of doubt, I understand those who live and work in the West of Scotland realised that they were at risk.
However, the situation cannot be equated with what journalist face in Mexico, Russia and Turkey.
What then remained extant in the SMSM was Off The Radar puff pieces about how wonderful The People are.
In the past season, a new song was added to the Ibrox song sheet.
With the refrain being “We hate Catholics! Everybody hates Roman Catholics”.
Of course, if you point this out then you are “a hater”.
In any democratic society, a functioning media is an important check and balance in the system.
Much of what happened at Ibrox transpired precisely because there wasn’t the appropriate oversight that good journalism should provide.
The death of Rangers in 2012 should have been a teachable moment for the national game in Scotland.
In particular, the Fitba Fourth Estate should have had a long look at themselves.
While they were regurgitating press releases about billionaires, they missed the biggest story of their professional lives.
The current regime came to power in what I have dubbed the “off-licence putsch”.
There was very little about the street campaign against the old Sevco board that would match the dictionary definition of “banter”.
Of course, this is the sort of thing that should be called out by ethically driven journalism.
There are many brave, talented journalists in Scotland.
Sadly, in my expereince, they tend not to be found at sports desks.
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The Laptop Loyal indeed, only in Scotland would an article such as that be seen anywhere other than a Football clubs own publication. I defy anyone to read that article and not consider it to be written by an employee of that club. “Banter”?? Absolutely shameful. However, for anyone wishing to see first hand how the rest of the world sees The People watch Trainspotting 2! Thats the real world view of that pathetic mob
NPG you could have not put it better. They assume or suspect everybody is not part of their cultchur as depicted in the film but just like a dog who goes running after a stick or ball you have just thrown the are easily led.
Not only journalists being threatened. I’m sure you’re also aware of the imperial bores attempts to “out” Fr.Paul ” on twitter and ” light him up” ,coincidently in bonfire season, so they published details of his business.
Turns out the owner of the business, who is not the tweeter Fr. Paul, was related to a rangers supporter on twitter who was contacting the police to report the bears.
These brave journalists you mention? The Sevco Saga was not confined to the sports pages but was still ignored – and indeed the truth twisted – by the collective SMSM. Nothing was stopping the bold ones crossing disciplines and taking the task on, except perhaps their editors. These fearless revealers of truth had a moral choice to make at that point, and they ALL shat it.
I fervently want to see Scotland as independent as The Republic of Ireland, but I also hope that the cutting of the ties will also see a lot of the sinister old alliances consigned to the dustbin of history. I would like to believe the masons will not have such dominance and free rein in our independent country (I wish I could say “republic”, but that’s a bit further off yet sadly).
I was wondering about those journalists and who they might be tae and I also went to the Mungo, for a while anyway.
Maybe those monks instilled a deep mistrust of all authority in all of us.
I know ‘Gandhi’ had all the rep but it was wee Aidan that creeped the bit oot me.
They got their jotters aff me early on, I wasn’t for eating from that bowl a gruel, the place was more like a reformatory than a school, a boot camp for the poor, and their teaching was dire.
Only good thing about yon place was Miss Healy, no matter how ‘Bug-eyed-mental Madam’ she’d get in her cups, in fact, that only added to the effect.
That lassie hud me demented, and me only 12 tae.
Aye, some place alright, the Mungo Monk-y Hoose, auld Morgan The Math wi his dodgy eye and his voddy breath, or Chunky, the Coughing Playwright (‘Chunky!’), at least he’d gie us a giggle and got the joke.
But I’m sure it was designed tae drive us aw daft.
Whit other reason could there be for such a madhoose?
Phil what about ,the main be upgraded,you mentioned someone with his ear to the ground, told you about big changes regarding the South Stand, any updates
It has been examined. These are long terms plans.
Like the hotel.
Long term plans apparently hindered by GCC not wanting to seem to be too amenable to Celtic, lest they should be accused of favouritism.
Fair Caledonia, indeed.
Kubler Ross my need to re-write the five stages of grief to take account of the Sevcovites mentality- Denial, Anger, More Denial, More Anger & finally just “Banter”!
Deranged Peep’il.
Don’t forget perma-rage
Quote of the day “if Dave king told me he was a liar” I wouldn’t believe him. Enough said !!!
Also, if Dave King accidentally found himself telling the truth, he would tell a lie, just to keep his hand in.
I don’t even believe his name is Dave king, cud be Keith
I suspect the recent soft loan may be for the remainder of the monies owed to SD after the cutdown price for the old tat sale.He was due full retail plus 10% on unsold stock.
I’d like to point out that Rangers FC came second in the SPL season 2011/12. QUALIFYING FOR EUROPE. They then went bust.
Green’s new club, which bought RFC assets, begged entrance to the SFL.
If Sevco, latterly TRFC, was old RFC then they had won entry to Europe for 2012/13. Green’s club was not listed or recognized by UEFA. Not given entry to Europa cup/ Europa league football. UEFA has stated it is a new club banned from Euro football for its first three years in existence.
Green didn’t legally challenge that.
Chris Sutton has a big target on his back and it doesn’t stop him saying how it is. He was quite rightly stating that King has no respect for the other clubs in the league. The guys a total charlatan. He constantly mentions Celtic to keep parity and the auld f##m myth going. Going for 55 last year, now pandering to the gullibillies to gain some brownie points, even they are starting to realise what he’s all about. King has an Celtic obsession. I hope Kings comments backfire on him and his pretend ranjurs team.
“banter years”, “don’t count without Rangers”, “victory over Ashley”, “£5m per year merchandise deal”. These are the ramblings of dysfunctional minds that cannot reconcile the reality of their situation with their supremacist self-image.
Grubbing along on soft loans in June – JUNE for God sake – they are still selling STs and they need soft loans to pay the bills. That’s the equivalent of needing a Wonga loan on payday – not a clever place to be at all.
No one of quality takes seriously what is written in the ET or the DR on football.
For many decades undergraduates of both colours have sat at refrectory tables guffawing at the manure being fed to the ill educated profane of Glasgow.
Some of the best critics have been RFC supporting lads with brains, in tears, reading the guff and saying we know guys who believe this. It’s hilariously funny.
So forget about Sevco revisionism. The truth points to itself. The Revisionists only succeed in ridiculing themselves.
I suppose if it’s only two in a row, Kingy is saying there’s no rush for Sevco fans to stump up cash.
There’s an eight year period for Sevco to gradually and most carefully and diligently catch up with the Mighty Celtic.
No need to forego family necessities and holidays to give cash to King. Ten in a row, he says, is eight seasons away. Chillax, enjoy your wages, there’s no immediate need to halt Celtic.
If Rangers* continue to follow their tried and, ahem, tested business plan, then eight more league wins is not out of the question.
A £1.5 million director bail out loan in June shows clearly that they are on the right track.
“Why cant the media be more patriotic?”….Rangers leading the way it seems!
It is an ever widening worry as people see the Media as on board advertisers and echo chambers rather than investigative, scrupulous and above all doubt, impartial!
Chris jack is a moron looking to alter the semantics of the situation. Lets all laugh at the journey and pretend it didn’t happen. WATP going for 55… or is it 10 in a row. Whatever sell shirts and season books will do for the deluded.