Who actually believes and acts on all that religion/sectarian stuff that divides the Old Firm?

Question

Im a Rangers fan who goes to Ibrox maybe 10 times a year and loves the Ibrox atmosphere and all that but why is it I get categorised as a protestant hun who loves the royals and has some connection to Northern Ireland? I don't sing at Ibrox because of it. All this rubbish about the Irish coming over and creating these 2 clubs is nonsense, you will find the majority of the club founders are plain Glaswegian. Even the players, you can count on one hand the amount of Irish in either club! Then there's the fans who sing all that crap, thinking they're fighting for a better life or something. I can put a bet on that less than 1% of the crowd at Ibrox or Parkhead actually know what they sing about, have a good knowledge of the real history. These people who shout out 1690 UVF and Tioc Faidh Ar La IRA stuff should really look at the facts, the "battle" of the Boyne wasn't won or lost, both just walked away from each other. Drop the Irish, Ulster & Union Jacks, pick up the Saltire!

Answer 1

i completly agree saltires or lion rampants should be flying at ibrox and parkhead not irish and union jack flags. i think it is a shame that religon comes into football the way it does. as a 16 year old celtic supporter i hate the way my friends think that if you are prodestant you should support rangers or if you are catholic you should support celtic. support who you want and not let it have anything to do with religon. bring on the saltires at parkhead please!!!

Answer 2

Like glesga celtic says it is passed on from generation to generation and has grown arms and feet ang legs as it has done so. Most of those singing that tripe dont have the correct information and it should have been given up long time ago. You can read similar sectarian crap on the various supporter sites and I always think it is written by empty people who need attention and they get it by spewing out rubbish. The same goes for those clots who stand outside Ibrox on matchday selling all kinds of pro King Billy and anti Catholic rubbish. David Murray should put a stop to that and then you wont see youngsters wandering into the Stadium wearing offensive crap thay they dont have the first idea about. The answer lies with the youth who should reject this kind of sectarianism and bring about the change that is necessary. Nothing wrong in going into either Stadium and supporting your team 100% but in a sensible and not provocative way.

Answer 3

Yes, yes, we know the history.
Whether it's the Brainless Billy Boys or Paddy the Potato Picker, the rest of Scotland is sick of you.
So what if King Billy took the throne in place of the Stuarts?
So what if the potato famine had a lot of people queing for the boat?
This is FOOTBALL!
Fortunately the Scottish Executive are on to this and the more often decent supporters of ALL clubs point out the bigots, then the less we shall hear of you.
The rest of Scotland is Scottish and the Old Firm are either English or Irish.
Why don't you just play each other every week and wipe each other out afterwards in knife fights?
No surrender?
Know you history?
What a disgrace to Scotland you both are.

Answer 4

On both sides of the Old Firm a LOT of people believe and act upon their opinions and beliefs. I'm a Celtic supporter and raised Catholic, so I can only relate to what I know....

I know that even beyond my Great-Grandparents they struggled against a government that was intend on genocide, oppression and government-supported slavery. Being Irish Catholic and Scottish there is a drive that lives within us about atrocities that we, as a people, will never forget. Celtic Football was started and organized by the IRISH in Glasgow, not Scots. Brother Walfrid was from Sligo and through the soup kitchens in the east end started Celtic to help Irish families that relocated to Glasgow in the 1800s. Say what you will about Celtic supporters singing about Ireland, freedom, the IRA and what-not. This is the identity for the majority of Celtic supporters. The difference about what Celtic supporters sing about and what rangers supporters sing about is that most Celtic songs are telling a story about our history. rangers supporters on the other hand, sing about being up to their knees in Fenian blood and F*** the Pope. There is a distinct difference. I'm trying not to sound bias but I don't think I could ever sing about being up to my knees in anyone's blood. Nor would I want to.

And there is far more than 1% at Celticpark that know what they are singing about. It's the stories our parents and grandparents have told us. As my Granda says "never forget where you came from"....

Answer 5

First of all one has got to realise that religion is one of the great dividers. Hindu and Muslim in India and Pakistan. Sunni and Shi'ite muslims everywhere, Catholic and Protestant in many places. The Republic of Ireland v British problem is a small part of all this and the Rangers v Celtic an even smaller one. But many of the fans are simply one step removed from being thugs. Small-minded, parochial bigots who would be out mugging old ladies if they did not have Ibrox, Parkhead divide to interest them.
Nuff said!!

Answer 6

As a decent law abiding Englishman living in scotland(there are almost half a million of us up here, note JockF "Scotland is scottish insane comment"). I clearly remember visiting Glasgow one Saturday afternon not knowing that the Old Firm Game was in town. Talk about a culture shock - it was a frightening, embarassing nightmare, more like 17thCentury tribal clashes. I was ashamed to even be caught up in it. Oh yes Scotland you have lot to shout to the world about, swirling your kilts and droning bagpipes, its just a pity that the rest of the world can't witness the animalistic sectarianism and tribalism that goes on when people from your own city get together to have a game of football!

Answer 7

Football should just be that football but religion and politics are the causes of most arguments and wars.But as an Englishman and a protestant i must admit i follow Rangers and a few of my friends who are Catholic do follow Celtic!!also in England Catholics and protestants work together drink together and even marry without prejudice.It's a shame Ireland and Scotland couldn't be the same.

Answer 8

Its a sad fact that sectarianism is built on ignorance and until people accept there are far more important things in life than religion it will ruin for many the fantastic spectacle of the old firm derby.

Answer 9

If you didn't live there it would mean nothing to you. If you lived in the USA. It would hardly matter. If you lived in South Africa it would hardly matter. You know when people live together in a small place they always find some difference to divide them from each other. In the USA it could be anything from politics to race. If we all spent more time agreeing on something important and stopping what hurts us a world. We would all be better off.

Answer 10

I just plain enjoy football!

You will get some rare answers on this question.......probably start WW3.