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From The Times

May 16, 2008

A club with a poison at its core

Graham Spiers

Utterly predictably, the fate of Rangers is once again to find excitement on the field marred by loutishness and delinquency off it. Losing the Uefa Cup final in Manchester on Wednesday night was no disgrace for Walter Smith or his team, whose very presence at the game was a triumph in itself. Beyond the stadium, however, before and after the match, events told their own story of how accursed Rangers remain as a club.

Willie Waddell, a memorable Rangers manager of the early 1970s, whose team brought the 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup back to Glasgow, once aimed the following simmering words in the direction of his club’s supporters: “It is to these tikes, hooligans, louts and drunkards that I pinpoint my message. It is because of your gutter-rat behaviour that we are being publicly tarred and feathered like this.”

After that European triumph of 36 years ago, Rangers were banned by Uefa for the rioting of their fans, causing Waddell to implode with rage. The blight of Rangers - defined by loutish behaviour and bigoted chanting among groups of supporters – is proving a durable social poison. Here we are four decades on, still lamenting the seemingly endemic way in which these supporters behave like primitives.

The chaotic scenes in Manchester on Wednesday night - a Zenit fan stabbed, rioting Rangers fans, and 15 policemen getting injured - were frightening to behold. Moreover, the footage released yesterday and shown on Sky News, of hundreds of Rangers fans charging at police and setting upon one who stumbled to the ground, will make the already weary Ibrox hierarchy cringe.

Rangers have a repeated get-out for these episodes: the script always says this is “just a small minority” of fans. Moreover, as incident upon incident passes with the club’s supporters - at Villarreal in 2006, in Pamplona in 2007 and now in Manchester in 2008 - it is always “heavy-handed policing” and not the Rangers fans themselves who are said to be the blame.

Well, this is no small minority of Rangers supporters, and nor are the Greater Manchester Police renowned for their truncheon-wielding brutality. Instead, this is a football club with a poison somewhere at its core.

Such scenes will enrage those legions of decent Rangers supporters who love their club and follow it with impressive ardour. The postmatch eruptions were all the more depressing on Wednesday because the vast Rangers support gathered inside the City of Manchester Stadium had created a brilliant spectacle of colour and noise, including many who stayed on to applaud the Zenit St Petersburg players on their 2-0 triumph.

Other aspects, however, were familiarly ugly. During the day before the match, and certainly in the drunken aftermath, there was too much evidence of the sort of primitivism that enraged Waddell 36 years ago. In particular, bigoted or sectarian chanting remains an excruciating pastime for too many Rangers supporters, despite repeated pleas by the club to give these anthems a rest. For two days in Manchester, if you were based in the city centre as I was, you woke up to these dirges in the morning and you went to sleep to them at night.

Since being punished by Uefa two years ago for such antics by their supporters, Rangers have hired PR people, as well as Kenny Scott, a seasoned and former high-ranking Glasgow policeman, to try to gouge out the social disease which has clamped itself to the club. Scott, in particular, knew very well the inherent dangers of 100,000 Rangers fans descending upon Manchester for the Uefa Cup final.

The downside of Rangers reaching such a prestigious game in as close an area as the north of England was that it was an open invitation for the club’s less impressive followers to display their capacity for drinking, aggression, and sectarian abuse. I would go so far as to say that Scott, as head of security at Rangers, will have been cringeing at the very prospect from the moment the club qualified for the final.

Some spoke yesterday of another Uefa investigation of Rangers, but this surely won’t occur. It is almost impossible for Uefa, however much they care about the image of football, to weigh in on such affairs as public disorder in the city centres of Britain.

But who has the answer to this blight? Can anyone offer Rangers a cure for this ugly delinquency which afflicts a sizeable group of their supporters?

Until that cure is found, the once-proud name of Rangers FC will always trigger thoughts of yobbishness and bigotry. The club, to be blunt, is paying a heavy price for its century-long antipathy towards signing Catholic players, a policy which planted this bitter harvest.

200 odd thousand travel to watch a match and nobody expected imposters to cause trouble, who are you kidding Graham ??

Cheers Tully

Billy Turnbull, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND

First journalist I've read who has nailed it. I'm a Gers fan with a heavy heart right now. There is no point in dismissing this as a 'small minority', being caused by casuals or poor policing. Quite simply Rangers have a massive problem that needs tackled - no point in denying it! Action required.

Andy Munro, Glasgow,

Mr.Spiers has to be congratulated for this article. The Beautiful game, where two teams strive to win over the other will always
be worth watching or supporting.
However, when there is the cancer of bigotry , be it race or
religion, detracts from the game we all love so well.
Rangers Resolve ?

John Kinloch, New York, USA

celtic vs porto in sevilla 2003, approx 100,000 celtic fans, majority drunk, lost 3 - 2 but only two arrests that was a couple of days before the match. don't tell me scottish fans and alcohol is always going to result in a riot.

thomas leftwich, madrid,

Spot on sumary although I can't think at any point there was a 'proud history'?

John, Bristol, UK

K Billy, Glasgow said ' why oh why is it always ranger rangers?'

Cos It always IS Rangers - fighting like animals.

Your 'minority' of fans wrecked the city and then tried to deny it. The camera never lies. Let's hope you never travel away again.

27 arrests at Ibrox that night. Speaks volumes

JANEY, Manchester, England

I think yHow about all the Chelsea fans and Manchester locals that started all the fights. Everyone seen these guys with tattoos saying Chelsea and Manchester and the same guys had Rangers tops on. Complete set up from the start. You made us look bad but we will prove ourselves.... watch this space!

Mac, Glasgow,

Well done Graham for having the guts and integrity to tell it like it is.
Full marks to Times Newspapers for publishing and not kow towing to vested interests and employing puppet journalists.
I can imagine the pressure you are all being put under.
Keep up the good work.

Stephen Woods, East Kilbride, Scotland

Just listen to BBC Scotland's live airs from Ibrox Park on any given week and you will hear the 'tiny minority' in full voice propagating the removal of anyone of Irish descent from Scotland. 30,000 is not a small minority.

Vincent Mulligan, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Congrats to all those Rangers fans who have ruined next wednesday for the fans of Manchester United.We welcome you to our city, and what do we get in return?People urinating in the streets, tons of litter, and a riot!Which has meant that a proposed screening of the champions league final is off!

JAB, Manchester,

I dont condone the actions of the "fans" from wednesday who undertook in the disgusting behaviour but surely, spiers, you know that 600 is a minority, when compared to the number 200,000.

Alex, Edinburgh, Scotland

"century-long antipathy towards signing Catholic players"

The least Graham Speirs could be is accurate. As he is obviously well read and learned perhaps he could advise when this 100 years started and ended. The facts I have to hand point to less than a thirty year period.

D. Mielklejohn, London, UK

I agree completely, there is something about Rangers joyless, mean -spirited and violent, anti_football at it´s worst.

bar, Madrid, spain

I am a Rangers fan, I Love the club but i will not condon what happened on wednesday night. In the stadium the fans were well behaved.
A hard line must be taken against the thuggish element not just at Rangers but all clubs.
Close stadiums, ban travling fans do something to show zero tolerance.

Gary Crawford, Paisley, Scotland

Chelsea supporter who goes to see Celtic. No IRA songs are sung there. Celtic have excellent record of finding, banning and prosecuting troublemakers.

joseph berk, london, england

dale id just like to see the cctv evidence of your fairy tale .Open your eyes Rangers F.C are Scotlands Shame FACT

james, glasgow,

young scottish working class men,love to drink and fight,put several hundred off them in an nearby english city following their team and what do you expect to happen at the end of the day,when things start to go wrong? there's poison in the followers of every scottish club,not just rangers!

bobbi o, ayr,

Finally someone has the mettle to put it down plainly for the rest, Scottish football is in danger of falling further behind our English counterparts in the financial stakes when the good name we have is synonymous with thuggish loutish behaviour!!Someone needs to take some responsibility!!!

Stevie Flynn, Glasgow, Scotland

I'm a Rangers fan who is completed disgusted, dismayed and sickened by what I saw on television from Manchester. I was at the match and knew nothing about what happened in the city centre until I arrived home the next day. For the first time ever I am considering not renewing my season ticket.

Simon, Hamilton,

Can I say, as a Rangers supporter, that the English football team is one with poison at its centre? After all, hooliganism is hardly a novelty in English football. What, this is directed at Connel McKenna, about Celtic, also a historically sectarian club? Or should I acknowledge that the hooligans are in a minority, and leave the majority in peace?

Elizabeth, Dublin, Republic of Ireland

I have to agree with Spiers. There is something inherrently bigoted and poisonous at the core of Rangers. Growing up as a Catholic in Glasgow I admit there are problems in the Celtic support, but not to the extent or size as in the Rangers followers. Glasgow city of culture? Don't make me laugh.

John, Glasgow, Scotland

MY GOD! Leave Celtic out of this. They aren't under examination here, we are. On Wednesday thousands of people sang racist bile throughout the day. The club need to face up to this. While only a minority were involved in violenece, thousands were signing this garbage and the club needs to face this.

Jamie, Edinburgh,

"Continous IRA songs at Parkhead"
Scott, I trust you haven't been at Parkhead or seen any games on TV for more than a decade? There may be a problem at away games, but it's an instant ban for that sort of behaviour at CP, so it's very rare. Maybe an approach Rangers could copy.

James Kelly, Bonnyrigg,

"A few things you don't do: 1. Hold ANY European final in England outside of Wembley."

Not sure about that one - I went to the last Cup Winners Cup final in Birmingham, Lazio vs Mallorca. It was a great atmosphere, no trouble as far as I remember even though the Nazio fans were there.

Alex Roberts, Manchester, Lancs

Well written and I'm tempted to delcare it absolutely spot on; however, permit me to prefix 'almost' to that praise.

We rightly speak of 'bigotry' and 'sectarianism', but let's call a spade a spade. What we're talking about is anti-Irish racism, manifesting itself as religious bigotry.

Daniel Brodie, London,

Why is anyone mentioning Celtic? We (our fans) were the ones that made fools of Scotish football on Wednesday, so maybe if more time was spend addressing that instead of acting like children ('Ohh, he did it too Miss') then something productive might be achieved?

Jamie, Edinburgh,

Graham, please explain why the front page of the early edition of the Manchester Evening News was a celebratory 'Mac-chester!' and all other media comment was almost entirely favourable, despite the 'appalling sectarian songs' of the Rangers support?

DJ, Cleethorpes, UK

As a Protestant Celtic fan, suffice to say these supremacist denizens of that religion who follow this 'loyal' institution(so loyal they attack their Police) have brought immeasurable shame on themselves & the 'animals' tag is well deserved!

Mark McCoy, London, Europa

I have seen a comment further down the page, saying surly Manchester city council should have had a back up plan incase of technical difficulties. They did they were there doing his job, trying to fix the problem untill they were almost beaten to death by all the bottles that started raining down.

Paul McDonagh, Blantyre, scotland

Two Words 'Scotland's Shame'!

GraemeM, Glasgow, Scotland

Excellent article. This problem will never go away unless the people in power meet it head on. Jack McConnell did try his best without much support from anyone.......police or otherwise. Alex Salmond and Wendy Alexander, you are both a disgrace, stand up for the descent people in Scotland or go away

Patrick Gallagher, Glasgow, United Kingdom,

It's the press who are making a meal of this cause it sells news papers, why oh why is it always ranger rangers? Celtic who are a scottish team fly the irish flag when it's obviously scottish based why?

K Billy, Glasgow, Scotland UK

Rangers as a club have had to work hard to do something. They were looking down a barrell of a gun pointed by UEFA. This was Rangers big chance to prove to the world that they had changed. Many in this City knew win lose or draw it was always going to end in embarrassment. Poision at the core. True

Gordon Brechin, Glasgow,

Hugh Kesson; "Celtic aim for Polish and Irish players". What an idiotic statement, the current first team squad has one Pole and two Irish players...the club's aim must be off!
Don't accept you have a problem, because if you do, you'll move forward and it's much better for Celtic if you don't :-)

Matt, London, UK

To H Kesson
Mo Johnstone? Fans outside Ibrox burning season books etc. CatholicGers players still told not to cross themselves on pitch as it would offend fans. Bigotry is ingrained in club. As for Celtic: Greatest manager = Protestant, Jock Stein, while Kenny Dalglish, another Prod, was fans idol.

Graeme , Glasgow, scotland

Once again Celtics magnificent supporters , and their splendid behavioural record when abroad somehow gets called into question as a result of the actions of thuggish Rangers 'fans'. The time has come for FIFA /UEFA to act decisively and immediately ban Rangers from European competition next season. The abhorrent scenes in Manchester which shamed Scotland where caused by Rangers fans and not the fans of any other club. It is a perennial problem and it is time for decisive action. Ban the club from playing in Europe next year and send a message to these so called Rangers 'supporters' that this behaviour is totally indefensible and unacceptable.

Peter , Dublin , Ireland

Well written article, and I'm tempted to say it's absoutely spot on; however, please permit me to prefix 'almost' to that praise.

We rightly speak of 'bigotry' and 'sectarianism', but let's call a spade a spade. What we're talking about is anti-Irish racism, masquerading as religious bigotry.

Daniel Brodie, London,

Really polished and well-written piece which avoids the easy and lazy 'sure, they're all at it' cop-out. As reaction to Tommy Burns' passing showed, they are many decent and honourable Rangers fans. The others are thugs who stand for nothing more than mindless violence.

Ross Hogan, Dublin,

Dave/Chesterfield: who is leader of the Scottish Parliament pray tell?

It was in fact a Conservative and Unionist Party spokesman who first condemned the police. First minister Alex Salmond (SNP) condemned the fans as did Wendy Alexander (Labour).

Get your facts straight. Myopia indeed.

Euan , Edinburgh, Scotland

Once again, refreshing, honest journalism from Mr Spiers, reporting the facts. Obviously the man doesn't have to kow tow to Murray and report the establishment line any longer, unlike the loyal lackie hacks in the Scottish press. Feeling the pinch yet Daily Record - falling sales????

John MacK, Port of Spain, Trinidad

'No Catholic policy' What?? Despite the fans, Rangers have had numerous Catholic players- Croats, Italians, and Scots. Celtic seem to continue to aim for Polish and Irish players, and most of the youth players that come through are from Catholic backgrounds. I'd happily see them both shut down.

Hugh Kesson, New Haven,

Tom, there is indeed a history of institutionalised hate in scots society but to say this is acceptable for the benefit of a sport beggars belief. But of course this is RFC's constant get-out clause. RFC are a disgrace to football and society. PS - what does Celtic have to do with rioting RFC fans?

John, Amsterdam,

This is not about Celtic, its not about Zenit.

This is about Rangers and 100 years of Anti catholic bigotry.

The club have brought this upon themselves with their 'no catholic' policy.

Daniel Birrell, GLASGOW,

A few things you don't do: 1. Hold ANY European final in England outside of Wembley. 2. Have low Police numbers when Rangers are involved. 3. Not expect riots if there is no instant failover for screen failure. The Council need to learn about football culture. LUFC

kulvinder, Leeds, UK

Rangers FC need to get their house in order. They are a discgrace to Scottish Football

Scotlands Shame indeed

John, Glasgow, Scotland

Quite frankly, 100,000 Scots drinking all day was bound to cause mayhem. Rangers is full of vile secterian supporters who mentally still live in the 1970s. Not only is it deeply embarrassing to Scotland...but England too.

Martyn Brown, Warrington,

They just don't get it, do they? Well they kid on they don't.
The writers, journos, hacks and other wordmongers. Rangers in the 70's led by Willie Wallace - when the club was at it's height of anti-catholic discrimination. Using that manager, who observed this policy with great warmth, as a frame-point for when there was strain of supposed integrity fighting against unwanted hooliganism at the club, is just laughable.
You do not hire a PR company if you are serious about eradicating a problem. The PR spin is to make it appear you are saying the right things to the right people at the right time, while actually doing either nothing, or the complete opposite. Quietly encouraging while publicly condemning: that's PR.

Eddie, Glasgow,

What about continuous IRA songs at Parkhead every week. No word from the SFA about the many coins being thrown from the Celtic end which hit the doctor attending a player. This has been a continual problem. Referee being hit in 1999. I would rather hear stupid songs than be hit with coins.

Scott, London,

What have Celtic got to do with it? It wasnt Celtic fans rampaging through manchester like orcs.
5 years ago a similar amount of Celtic fans decended on Seville without a hint of trouble.

By the way, I didnt hear any racist abuse on the telly, I did here Rangers sectarian chanting though.

Kieron, Hull,

It is the silent majority of Rangers fans who I feel most sorry for. They cannot go about following their team for the Neaderthals who pollute them with their 17th Century values.
It is a well know fact that Rangers FC do not have any songs about Football.

William B Knox, Larkhall, Lanarkshire

Yes LFC did get us banned.
Banned because the LFC fans killed 38 Italians.
No deaths on Wednesday.

Aidy, London, UK

That's right Tom Prince, the usual response "oh, but what about Celtic". Face responsibility for once, if you really care about Rangers, then sweeping this under the carpet and blaming others isn't the solution. The solution is to openly eradicate the cancer within the club's support.

Matt, Belfast, UK

Nail, head and hit come to mind............

Phoebe MacKay, Glasgow, Scotland

Tom - Celtic's fans conduct is not in question; having travelled in vast numbers thoughout Europe, including big English cities in recent years and indeed winning a UEFA award for their exemplary behaviour after Seville in 2003.

The hate,to which u refer, is a distinctly Rangers disease.

Steven Woods, Prestwick, Scotland

"It wizny us, it wiz thu polis"

"It's a minority"

"They started it."

Lies, lies and more lies. Trying to justify Wednesday night's behaviour is pathetic, but i wouldn't expect any less from Dignity FC.

Hats off Mr Spiers for continually highlighting Scotland's shame.

Calum, Paradise,

It is always the same when Rangers get beaten, I have freinds who are Rangers fans and Police officers, They dread being on duty when Rangers have been playing and lost, because they know there will be mayhem in the streets ~Bad Losers.

kris Modderson, Motherwell, Scotland

tom, what has this got to do with celtic?

We have our problems and pond life that support's us, but, typical rangers, bully boy antics, blame someone else.

Face up to these issues, its the first step to finding a cure

Brian, falkirk,

I think a lot of truth is in this article but i cannot help but feel that the issue is that there was nothing wrong with the Plan by Manchester it is just that it was the wrong plan. If they had grasped the obvious fact that more that at least 100,000 fans were coming they would have developed

John Darroch, Dublin, Ireland

It is a small minority, and Rangers are not the only team to fight at away games. I am a Rangers supporter and am ashamed of the trouble that was caused in Manchester. This has shamed us and should never have happened. A back up plan should have been made incase of such technical issues.

Mac, Glasgow,

.......a different Plan. There is no way you can contain 150K plus fans in a city centre without violence for 2 nights. They should have planned better and had a festival type approach. It is not about the Rangers fans per say or even the NEDS who caused the trouble, but REALITY! and I am a CELT!

John Darroch, Dublin, Ireland

Tom,

your first couple of sentences sum up your problems. Wednesday had nothing to do with Celtic.

Remind me of the arrest count in Seville?

Steve, Aberdeen, Scotland

I think Tom and Dale are missing the point. Whilst I'm sure that there has been some fans that have been unfairly treated by police, or other fans that have miss-behaved in the past, it doesn't mean that this issue shouldn't be addressed, and that all Rangers fans should be forgiven.

Joseph, Leeds, UK

Actually I have some sympathy for David Murray in all of this.

It can't be easy being part of a club which is neither liked nor respected outside its own confines.

rob, london,

Mr Spiers can't help riding his hobby horse. It is 19 years since Rangers signed Mo Johnston - and the club had quite a few Catholic players before that. The violent scenes were similar to those in many towns at weekends. Manchester was just too handy for the ned element who are not regular fans.

Frank, Grangemouth,

What I find an extra disturbing feature is the leader of the scottish parliament saying that the trouble was not caused by the rangers fans but was caused by riot ploice being deployed.
If their leaders are so myopic there is no hope for them.

Dave, Chesterfield, UK

Scotlands Shame!
always have been, and looks like always will be.

A murray, Glasgow, Scotland

How about Celtic ? no secterian chantin from them?

or Zenit st Petersburgh no racial taunts aimed at black players? a hint of rangers bashing here.

If the history of hate and rivalry wasnt there between teams I think we would experience a sterile atmosphere.

LFC got us banned 4 5 yrs

Tom Prince, Niigata, Japan

Well said. It's about time more people with a public voice cut through the 'only a tiny minority' excuses with Rangers (and Linfield). Your final sentence hits the nail on the head. Given that for so long Rangers was an institutionally sectarian club, what else can we expect of so many their fans?

Connel McKenna, Belfast, Ireland

NUFC v SUFC, FA Cup semi, both sets of fans were enjoying a drink and banter in a Manchester pub, police then stormed the pub lashing out at kids, old people and everyone else. No officer had id numbers, fans tried to prosecute, nobody was brought to task. FACT.

Dale Storey, Adelaide, Australia.