By all accounts, the Ibrox crowd were rather muted last night.
Derry’s Walls were defended on a couple of occasions and it was helpfully pointed out that Britannia rules the waves.
When I saw how the Sevco High Command had complied with UEFA’s order to have 3000 seats left vacant I thought that “waives the rules” was perhaps more appropriate.
Some cynics on Planet Fitba are pointing out that on Sunday the home crowd at Ibrox will dial up the racism once more.
For the avoidance of doubt, the target of their hatred is the multi-generational Irish community in Scotland.
Any attempt, however well-meaning, to deflect from the fact that this is anti-Irish racism is to be a friend of nonsense.
With the match on Sunday in mind and the apparent absence of racist chanting at Ibrox last night, I was keen to nail down a few facts.
Of course, I would have relied on the “Mystery Freelancer”.
However, I decided to find out myself by asking questions…
I know, I know.
This is a novel approach on Planet Fitba.
Today I submitted the following question to the Scottish Premier Football League (SPFL):
“Does the SPFL have the same working definition of “racism” as UEFA does for match delegate reports?”
In fairness, their PR people got back to me very quickly.
Here is their answer:
Hi Phil,
Thanks for getting in touch. I’ve taken the following information from the SPFL rules and regulations which can also be found via https://spfl.co.uk/pages/rules-and-regulations
SPFL Rule H27 and H27.1
H27 Disorderly conduct includes:
H27.1
conduct which stirs up or sustains or is likely or designed to stir up or sustain, hatred or ill will against or towards a group of persons based on their membership or presumed membership of a group defined by reference to a category mentioned in Rule H29 or against an individual who is or is presumed to be a member of such group;
SPFL Rule H29
H29 The categories referred to in Rule H27 are:
H29.1 female or male gender;
H29.2 colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origin;
H29.3 membership of a religious group or of a social or cultural group with a perceived religious affiliation;
H29.4 sexual orientation;
H29.5 transgender identity; and
H29.6 disability.
Regards,
It would appear that both the Billy Boys and the Famine Song are prima facie in contravention of H29.2 which covers “colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origin”.
Of course, the criminal justice system in Scotland arrived at this learned conclusion in 2009 apropos the Famine Song.
The Justiciary Appeal Court upheld a conviction against William Walls over his racist conduct at a Rangers away match against Kilmarnock in 2008.
Lord Carolway presiding stated:
“The court does not consider that the lyrics of this refrain bear any reasonable comparison to those of ‘Flower of Scotland’ or indeed ‘God Save the Queen’.
“Rather they are racist in calling upon people native to Scotland to leave the country because of their racial origins. This is a sentiment which… many persons will find offensive.”
My emphasis.
Despite the Famine Song being branded racist a decade ago the “R” word still sticks in the throats of the Fitba Fourth estate when they reluctantly report on the Ibrox klan.
Referring to it as “sectarianism” is part of the problem and not the solution.
There can be no doubt that what is regularly heard at Ibrox and at Sevco away games is racism against the multi-generational Irish community in Scotland.
Time for all good-minded folk in Fair Caledonia to call it out.
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Don, it is indeed a nice thought, that NFL should take the team of the park, in the event of the Huns starting their usual pish. However, our supporters inside the den of iniquity, would undoubtedly pay a hefty price in the event of such a senario unfolding. I should however apologise to Mr King for usin the phrase ‘Den of iniquity. I meant of course ‘den of no equity’. HH
Lenny could ” put the cat amongst the pigeons:’ on Sunday.. If sev co were to score 40+000 zombies would belt out the Billy boys with venom..
Now knowing Uefa stance Lenny could and should take team of the park when the hate racist singing starts.
Celtic would have the backing of Uefa and with this the joke media would have to follow suit… Reluctantly!!
Cmon Lenny… Take the team down the tunnel if the scum start their sick cultural songs.
Stating, you felt for the teams safety.
HH
Some people still operate with a biological concept of race which is now discredited. Though kudos to them, they managed to get to the nineteenth from the seventeenth century. They have racism, we have pyromaniacs with flares. The Celtic community needs to deal with these people or they are going to cause us serious damage. They need to be identified and stopped.
I think that Hun should stop visiting our sites and go and read a good book.I can recommend one to him.It`s called Downfall.I think you should get your mummy to read it to you before bed .HH.
29(3) is interesting. Presumably vaguely worded to include the Orange Order.
Call me Mr Saddo, but at a rough guess, that section indicates roughly 1,000 seats – not the 3,000 as specified by UEFA. I hope there is a Swiss saddo ensconced in the building at Nyon, magnifying glass in hand, confirming that my guess is as close to accurate as it can be. If UEFA arrive at the conclusion that sevco is staffed by consultant urologists, I hope the governing body brings in its own team of proctologists, and close their stadium for at least 3 home games. Maybe then, lessons will be learned.
Phil was that the only part of the ground that was shut. There is only about 800 seats in that wee section
Same on the other side of the Broomloan and some in the club deck
Doncaster said there was no evidence that strict liability works, hopefully he was watching (and listening to) the game last night to see it’s potential impact. No excuses now.
Always talking about rangers same old phil if it wasn’t for rangers u would only be able to retweet
There’s too many others doing it! That’s why your rotten club and many of its supporters have gotten away with it for so long!
Thankfully times almost up on you all.
Always talking about rangers same old phil if it wasn’t for rangers u would only be able to retweet
And yet here you are, always reading what he has to say 😂
And always leaving the same comment.
Obsessed much?
Mark,
I’ll give you something to retweet!, preferably on one of the loyal Britannia forums.
My grandfather was a staunch ‘Rangers’ man and had an underlying dislike of The catholic population of Glasgow, he actually thought they were a dirty lot.
Two of his three children went onto to marry catholic’s who believe it or not we’re extremely clean, courteous and charming people. He had a choice! Reject or accept!
To his credit he accepted and attended all his catholic grandchildren’s confirmations etc.
Yes! He went to the chapel FFs.
Now it gets better if your still reading ( you might be getting tired)
My grandfathers remaining daughter ( my mother) married a Protestant (my father) and I was brought up quite casually in the Church of Scotland.
I’m sure at this point my grandfather was secretly hoping that I would turn out ok if you know what I mean but here’s the twist !
My Dad wasn’t really that interested in football but me and my brother were, we were really interested.,you know what happened next we started supporting Celtic!!
So much so that having badgered my Old man to take us with occasional success we then innocently asked grandpa to take us, why not? He loves football too.
To his eternal credit he did take us on numerous occasions standing in the middle of all those dirty catholics and turn coats like myself but never made a fuss.
I genuinely think he saw the error of his ways but was too stoic to admit it., but his actions spoke louder than words.
Go on I dare you to post that.
Nice one!
Great response Paul May God bless them all.
Thanks Paul, a more common life scenario, than a lot of people think. The bloodline has became rightly, in modern times, an infusion of very mixed breeding. Stubbornness and “stoic” resistance remains a problem especially for those of a cultural persuasion, who will never admit to be on the wrong side of history.