All major cities try and cultivate a positive brand, and Glasgow is no different.
Consequently, anything that tarnishes that carefully cultivated image is bad for business.
Yesterday I was told that a senior Sevco functionary was dialled into a meeting with a body that represents the collective interests of various commercial ventures in the city centre.
I do not know the title of the body.
However, I AM aware of the identity of the Ibrox chap.
In fairness, he was put up as a dignified piñata by the Sevco High Command.
The conversation that was relayed to me was that several of those attending “savaged” him for the behaviour of his valued customers.
The simple truth is that the commercial heart of Glasgow cannot afford to endure more outing from the fascist underclass that coalesces around Sevco.
This, coupled with the debate in Holyrood, now points to the fact that the Ibrox klanbase are now being viewed by many in Scotland as a serious social problem to be tackled.
Of course, Sevco’s shills in the media will try and splash on the Old Firm Spice and drag Celtic into it.
However, the facts on the ground make this as believable as Craig Whyte, the billionaire.
On May 25th, 2017, I attended the 50th anniversary of that day in Lisbon.
I found myself in a taxi travelling to Stadio Nacional with two Swedish men. One was the lifelong find and neighbour of a guy called Larsson.
Martin asked me this genuine question:
“How is it possible for one city to have two sets of supports who are so different?”
I think it is fair to say that he didn’t think that the Ibrox fraternity had much going for them as decent citizens.
As I’m a writer, I deployed the work of a Swedish novelist, another Larsson,
Stieg, to briefly sketch out the fascist history of Ibrox.
One of the charters in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is Harald Vanger.
He is an unrepentant member of the Swedish Nazi Party.
Harald is in the novel to remind 21st century Swedes (it was published posthumously in 2005) that the Scandinavian country has a dark and shameful past.
Well, so does Fair Caledonia.
Dear reader, my Swedish friend was genuinely appalled to learn that in 2017 the Ibrox chaps were still singing about Billy Fullerton’s fascist street gang.
He was shocked, genuinely shocked, that the Scottish authorities allowed this to continue.
Outsiders can often see clearly what is under the noses of the locals.
Political Scotland and commercial Glasgow can see what the chaps in Hampden have been wilfully blind to for generations.
I’ve detected a PR counterattack over the last couple of days.
The trouble wasn’t really anything to do with Rangers, alcohol issues, societal problems etc.
As usual, these talentless shills are peddling Orwellian shite.
Dear reader, Glasgow is a great city.
It’s vibrant, friendly and, as we say here in Ireland, it doesn’t have notions.
Edinburgh definitely has notions!
However, Glasgow does have a fascist underclass that has been indulged for generations by those in positions of authority.
So what would I tell Henrik’s neighbour now?
For the avoidance of doubt, no marketing campaign can make the Ibrox klanbase go away.
Only coordinated political action and societal pressure will do that.
There isn’t a quick fix.
However, the job has to start now.
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I am absolutely sick to death over the behaviour of the so-called “fans” of the club I support. I, like many of my generation (late 50s) was taken along to Ibrox as a child and naturally ended up supporting the team my dad took me to see. However, as I got older and more mature I started to become aware of the people around me on the terracing and what they were singing. It made me really angry but as we all know it’s really difficult to suddenly drop the team you went to see as a kid. I then became a ‘silent’ fan, I was embarrassed to say I was a fan of Rangers when asked “what team do you support”. I hate/hated the association with Unionism, the Queen, Protestantism etc etc and the day Souness welcomed Thatcher to Ibrox was (yet another) dark day. So, the question I have been mulling over, especially over the last week in particular is “what does someone like me do about it”? Do I ‘I walk away’ from supporting the team I have done so for 50 years… I am not necessarily looking for an answer to that question but surely I can’t be the only supporter of Rangers going through this existential crisis.
I am not trying to be argumentative but have you even considered that the team playing out of Ibrox today, is not actually the same team you supported as a boy. It was proved in court that it wasn’t as the old club is in the process of being liquidated. While I supported Celtic growing up, one of the football cards I was most proud of was of one Eric Caldow, the Rangers captain who just seemed so dignified and I, for one, cannot find any link to him and the moral black hole that is ” Rangers” today but I have neither the right nor the inclination to debate the point. It is your life.
I can’t understand how any Catholic can support Sevco knowing what they stand for.
And I do know Catholics who support them.
How can you sit among them when they are f*****g the Pope?
It’s not like supporting any other team.
You are standing against your own faith just because your dad supports Sevco.
It’s not right.
Love your team by all means but ‘call out’ the racists and bigots among your fellow ‘supporters’.
Zero tolerance to anti-Catholic bigotry.
Don’t support a team that hates you!
People in your position have to examine your conscience.
Can you support a team steeped in such anti-Catholic bigotry? Such racism? Just because your dad supports them.
Especially when the club itself does very little to discourage it.
In fact actually thrives on it.
‘Anyone Everyone’ my arse!
I love my club because it is all inclusive.
And, yes, I support them because my dad does.
But I can be proud of that!
When I attend games I see white, black and Asian fans and don’t care what their beliefs are.
They are Celtic fans and nothing else.
Part of the Celtic family.
Support and love your club by all means but for God’s sake clean it up!
Only Scotland allow the masons in police Scotland and cps to investigate the team they support to find if their players are racists and anti-Catholic, we knew the outcome long before pig Scotland put out their findings. And nil by mouth and show racism the red card can keep their faux outrage statements as everything else that’s been going on at ibrokes they’ve been happy to cover their ears and let it go Call It Out are the only organisation who call them out on the klans anti-Irish and anti-Catholic racism.
Douglas Ross’s comments are a disgrace.
I get the impression they were dictated to him from SEVCO/ DUP or the OO .
Total disgrace.
Shameful words from the wee scrote.
I didn’t see DRoss’s comments. Where are they?
Yes, and unionists would have you ruled by such as Douglas Ross ad infinitum!
It’s time to leave Toryism behind and vote for a socialist independent Scotland.
Don’t stand with the butcher’s apron wearing unionists! F*** the Union Jack!
Stand with the saltire of Saint Andrew in an independent Scotland!!!
Be brave! Make our own decisions for our own benefit!
No to trident! No to HS2!
Let’s spend that money on things important to Scotland.
Every reply was so true ther Phil nothing will change 🤐 swept under the carpet but not me or my friends sick of it 🍻🇮🇪🍀
Covid is a serious business. Too serious for the intelectual midgets that pollute Scottish politics. What happened to protecting the NHS frontline workers who were not mentioned in all of this. The authorities knew who, where, and when and did nothing about it.
Any government with “National” in its title is in the business of sectarianism, racism etc. so it is part of their make-up.
I noticed the first words to come out of Jousav’s mouth were in praise of “Rangers” and the fact they deemed to talk him and the police, similar to Sturgeon’s “condemnation” of their earlier misbehaviour.
The flag of convenience Jousav flies under in which he claims you cannot arrest 10,000 people as we don’t have the holding cells is utter nonsense.
It is like the Alamo or Rourke’s Drift defenders ( Inappropriate example , I know) saying we can’t kill all of them so let’s not bother.
Arrest the nearest 10, fast track them and punish so severly that it will discourage others. repeat until clean.
Rorke’s Drift even.
“Intellectual” . No excuse, I’ll get my hat and coat.
Saddened, neigh, sickened to hear the news coming our of Glasgow that no crime was committed by professional athletes and their colleagues by shouting #### the Pope, while ‘celebrating’ their famous 12 men won the league, moment.
If the news had been, video faked, or we’re deeply sorry and embarrassed, it accept what happened and hoped things could move forward on a more positive note.
Individuals will be sued…not quiet apologetic, no crime, not quite a fake video
Sevco are asserting themselves and society will be much worse for it. I only hope tptb take this further, but they won’t.
That God my children are being brought up in England.
Phil, I’ve mentioned several times the perils and fall out from the actions if the bankers… Things are about to get much worse, people about to get much poorer… I fear the divide, angst, hatred, violence will escalate from here.
If you want to live in a free decent independence country, my advice would be…. Move to Ireland
You’ve clearly never spent time with any real Edinburgh people or understand the dualist nature of the city Phil. As someone from working class stock who’s catholic born Irish diaspora grandfather had to leave Glasgow due to being unable to get work after deciding, much like James Connolly (a good Edinburgh man) that class was the most important factor for him. And joined the communist party.
For all his trade experience he couldn’t get a start anywhere without someone in a church or chapel to vouch for him. As such my family grew up in the Broomhouse area of Edinburgh where there were certainly no fucking notions that’s for sure.
I’d suggest Glasgow’s miles better is a bit of a notion though.
I blame catholic schools myself, always been a breeding ground for anti-Irish anti-Catholic behavior
Steam still coming out my ears
They’ve treated us like clowns again
Good read phil and i agree with it all especially the last bit it will take generations of people for this to happen but its got to have a starting point i hope this is it but i wont hold my breath. Lol keep up the good fight mate👍
It won’t start now and probably won’t start at all, sadly. HH
The celtic blog talks a good game, but trying to post something is nigh on impossible,
He seems to be pretty happy about today’s outcome involving police Scotland, but won’t take posts
They can begin in July with the Orange Order.
I’m afraid the job won’t start now, because as of today the singing and dancing and the F the pope song never happened as far as police Scotland are concerned. Not even the breaking of the indoor alcohol consumption seems to be breaking the law. Step one, nothing to see here.
What bothers me is that the anti-Catholic chanting has been going on for generations and known by everyone for generations. But since it’s been confined within the boundaries of football stadiums then it seems to have been tolerated, accepted even. But as soon as it spills out into the streets of Glasgow and gives the city a bad reputation then only then does it become offensive and something is done about it!
But what’s done about it? Hee haw!
Rangers policy of not signing Catholic’s played into the hands of the bigots who supported them.
It was a significant part of who the club were and represented.
It was only when UEFA started poking around the No Catholic’s Signing policy that things were made to change at Ibrox as the thought of being banned from European competition and the money that came with it overcame the bigoted bile that surrounded the club.
Even then the signing of a Scottish, or god forbid, Irish Catholic was seen as a step to far.
Then Mo turned up and some supporters invented a league table where any goals he scored and points thereby gained were deducted so that a 1 nil win with Mo scoring became a draw and one point gained.
There are many religions throughout the world and they all worship their own God.
Largely they just get on with it and celebrate their beliefs as they see fit without being denigrated by those with different religious beliefs.
Clearly these rules don’t apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland and in the weeks to come the marching season will see thousands of bigots pour onto our streets with the permission of local councils and the Scottish government and parade their anti Catholic and anti Irish hatred with pride and without any comeback for the enablers who value their votes more than taking a stand against religious and anti Irish bile.