A St Johnstone fan calls out the klan

This piece by Stuart Cosgrove on racism in Scottish football deserves to be widely read.

Nail meets hammer here:

“The silence of our national bodies leads many people to question whether Scottish football is so inured to sectarianism, and in this case to anti-Irish racism, that it simply passes as normal.”

I don’t know Mr Cosgrove, although we have chatted on the phone a couple of times.

He is an intelligent commentator with good values.

Consequently, I’m not surprised that he focused on what was really at the centre of “sectarianism” at Ibrox during the match against St Joseph’s of Gibraltar.

At the time UEFA called it for what it was.

“Racism”.

However, the chaps in the press box were rather muted on that forensic fact so Mr Cosgrove’s piece in the National is especially welcome.

It is rare enough for the term “anti-Irish racism” to be so accurately deployed in the SMSM.

Therefore, the National is to be applauded for allowing space for this piece.

However, they may also wish to consider why they have a columnist who so openly derides the Irish community in Scotland.

Would they allow such generosity to a politician who sneered at any other ethnic minority in fair Caledonia?

9 thoughts on “A St Johnstone fan calls out the klan”

  1. With that £20m in the Xmas post from Crystal Palace their fans are agog about how it could be spent to replace Morelos.
    It would appear that the Close Bros loan, the Sports Direct bill and the cash required to get to the next Season Ticket round, all miraculously take care of themselves.
    Will Kingco and their advisors wait till the 31st October before releasing the last annual financial results in the hope that Johnson’s do or die Brexit wipes all other news from the media?

    Reply
  2. Still trying to blacken ( no pun intended ) Ms Black’s name , Phil , over one comment that you clearly have either misunderstood or deliberately twisted to suit your anti-Scottish agenda .
    ”Plastic Irishmen” – the context is all ! You do NOT wish to associate it with those it was aimed at – perhaps hitting too close to home ?

    Reply
    • The piece by Dan McGinty in the Irish Voice that I linked in the piece addresses the issue very well.
      Here is the conclusion:

      As far as the section of society which she refers to as ‘plastic Irishmen’ is concerned, her next comment should be a retraction and an apology. After that, she should more closely examine the values of ‘respect’ and ‘equality’ – which there can be no doubt she genuinely wishes to embody in her work – before speaking again about a community for whom intolerance and dismissiveness are familiar challenges. Despite holding no fear for us, these challenges are as unwelcome today as they were in the old Scotland we thought we were leaving behind.

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      • Quoting someone who agrees with YOUR view is no proof of verisimilitude ! I could cite loads of people I know who fit this description but that would not convince you either , Phil .
        We will have to agree to disagree on this matter .

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      • Phil, I personally know many Irishmen who have used the term, “Plastic Irishmen.” In fact I heard the term used many times in Donegal a long time, decades in fact, before Miss Black was even born.

        I confess I don’t know the context of her comments but it is NOT an original opinion or comment.

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    • She also said I have celti c and that all celtic supporters are scum . Nicola Sturgeon defended her saying she was just a daft wee lassie .she was 17 at the time while S N P were giving the vote to 16 year olds.

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    • Please explain to me then what you think a ‘plastic Irishman’ is? Would you describe people in the US who are proud of their Scottish ancestory as ‘Plastic Jocks’? Or those in the Uk from Pakistan who celebrate the identity of their family as ‘Plastic Pakistanis’?

      Reply
      • My thoughts exactly. What constitutes “plastic” in Scotland given the vast number of inhabitants that come from different countries? Why is it only acceptable to label anyone of Irish origin as “plastic”? Is it not exactly this type of cultural association that gives a country the rich cultural mix that the SNP are in favour of? There must be a few famous SNP sponsors that could be described as plastic Scots if the same criteria are applied.

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  3. So there you have it the SMSM screaming from the rooftops about racism because it’s one of their favourite clubs players what a surprise eh . But never a mention from the SMSM when the ultras are out in force over at ibrox you could not make it up . Off topic a bit now . But the sevco manager and his players blowing hot air again about being top of the league and staying there oh dear . Now Klopp is feeling the pressure after he blew a fuse at his interview after yesterday’s draw with Man Utd the sevco manager must be feeling his time is almost here for the Liverpool job lol . NOT .

    Reply

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