A decade ago today, Channel 4 News broadcast this piece.
It was probably the first time that viewers in England had a glimpse of the darkness that resides within the Ibrox klanbase.
Thankfully this report produced some justice for one of the people featured in that piece.
In a fashion that is too contrived for a novel, I received a communication today from a full-time officer of my union, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He confirmed to me that his opposite number in Scotland had written twice to the Ibrox club about a matter pertaining to your humble correspondent.
At the time of writing, the NUJ have yet to receive a reply from the ten-year-old club.
The NUJ had sought clarification from people at Ibrox apropos their relationship with the Follow Follow website.
Their reason for doing so was that earlier this month, a thread was started on that message board entitled “Phil Mac Giolla Bhain”.
Here are a few of the posts on that thread.
Any reasonable person would take from those comments that they were rather disappointed that this Irish journalist was, unlike Rangers, still in the land of the living.
I discussed these comments with colleagues in my NUJ branch, and they encouraged me to bring them to the attention of our full-time officers here in Ireland.
The message board is an “Official Media Partner” of the current Ibrox club, and this convinced the NUJ officials to contact Sevco.
In the decade since that Channel 4 broadcast, this digital effluent in my direction has never stopped.
The objective seems to be quite transparent.
They hope that, like the Ibrox support in 2012, that I will Do Walking Away and stop reporting on the basket of assets.
Obviously, they haven’t been successful in that matter.
This is one of the reasons that the local media are so onside and walk on eggshells around matters of fact, like the liquidation of the original Ibrox club in 2012.
I want to express my gratitude to my colleagues in the Derry North West branch and the full-time officials in Dublin and Glasgow for their support.
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Keep at them Phil.
Over here we don’t have the ahem press to do it, fear of or supporters of them, will stop the journalist gaining any credibility.
Again Phil keep up your great work and we will always have a place to come to, for the truth.
TAL
I applaud you Phil and any others who put their head above the parapet to tell it like it is. HH
It’s incredible that any football club would have a media partner such as Follow Follow .
Considering the bile and hate it allows to be spewed by its members .
As for the football club acting on the messages directed at you Phil by its media partner I would not hold your breath .
This is why many of the so called sports journalists in Scotland fear telling what exactly is going on at Ibrox .
They do know but fear for their well being if they speak it .
The Police too are not shy of dealing with alleged hate crimes and threats when it suits them ,so why are they not investigating the posts directed at you by people on Follow Follow .
I think we all know the answer to that Phil .
OMG Phil sorry to hear that but u know they hate the TRUTH, It’s constant in Glasgow
Phil….I’m sure you know you have the full support of those of us who wish to see honest reporting.
Such veiled threats as these have to be taken seriously given that bulkets and bombs have previously been a matter for some who voice honest opinions…..and police must act on such life threatening quotes and statements.
Such is the toxicity of the mordor club always, but my honest opinion it has reached new highs since the new club was formed.
It pains me to believe certain people in the Scottish game….especially those at celtic…believed having “a rangers” was good for Scottish football.
These people consider the financial benifit of what is basically hatred between both sets of supporters, before life.
Keep in mind the deaths of celtic fans at the hands of these neanderthals….as well as just the other violence.
Take into account their trashing of Glasgow City centre….
None of this is good for the Scottish game….
For yourself and others to be mentioned on these notices with veiled or otherwise direct threats, is unacceptable…..and history shows us that there are numerous individuals amongst that lot who will view actually commiting harm as a kind of favour to their club and other supporters at that club.
No threat is acceptable, and those making them should feel the full weight of the law.
Be careful my friend….and it shows they fear your journalistic truth when they resort to this.
My full support Phil.
Well done once again for calling this stuff out!
Completely agree re your comments about their fans. The orcs who follow the new club are several degrees worse than the most rabid fans of the dead club. Their sense of entitlement is boundless, and the authorities, both football and civil, are either unwilling, or afraid, or both, to even attempt to impose boundaries on them.
It’s a downwardly spiralling situation, and it’s gathering speed. It’s seriously worrying to observe.
You take real care Phil. In particular take care with mail, and be especially vigilant if you need to cross the border, or any time you’re abroad. There are a couple of annual events you never miss and that will not go unnoticed by anyone wishing you harm.
Never give in to these vlowns Phil. A sterling job. As always. Keep up the good work.
Phil, you taught me the phrase fourth estate, it seems we don’t have one a functioning one in the UK right now when it comes to sunaks coup and the British establishments monetary policy
Take the new Chancellor for instance, he might have £3.8million in mortgage debt, so he comes to power saying he’ll help mortgage owners. Forget the savers and workers. The poor debt junkies need help.
How many more tory mps involved in the coup of the woman who was pushing up mortgage rates are up to their necks in debt, the uk housing market was, up to a month ago seemingly a one way bet, so quite a few I’d wager
Youd think, with poor people going hungry and rampant inflation someone in a functioning fourth estate might be questioning this clear conflict of interest
Like the daily record covering all the evils of sevco and rangers… Radio silence.
Its like they want the poor robbed too.
Keep up the good work Phil, the world needs brace people like you
Lest we forget,
when the ex-Cheeky Chappie’s mask slipped:
Sleekit “Who are these people?!” McCoist.
Obviously your doing a sterling job Phil, the truth hurts and they don’t like it. Keep up the good work, if only the so called Scottish journalists would take a leaf out your book, then maybe just maybe the Scottish sports world would be a better place without them.