The Ego Has Landed

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

And so it began. Like a pack of hungry wolves vying for the choicest cuts of the prey they lined up according to pack hierarchy. On offer was the kind of succulent dish guaranteed to have the Rangers Antagonistas (a particular brand of NUJ card waving individual who appear to believe that aforementioned card is the real life equivalent of Monopoly’s Get Out of Jail Free Card) licking their lips in culinary anticipation, perhaps even salivating, at the mouth-watering prospect of a meal where Rangers were the main course. Rangers were the “bully boys” of course whose conduct was “intimidating” thus suppressing (even endangering apparently) freedom of speech in Scotland as well as undermining journalistic standards. Phew! – That’s some litany of charges.

The truth of course was completely different. Graham Spiers, and not for the first time, had written an article for which was particularly damaging in respect of Rangers and their board in particular. The publishing of this article in the Herald proved to be the catalyst for Rangers to make a complaint to the Herald’s editor, Magnus Llewellin.

Contrary to many of the accusations being made Rangers did not threaten legal action, merely asked for evidence of the claims – but we should all be familiar with the routine by now – let’s not let facts or the truth get in the way of a succulent serving of Rangers bashing.

But worse was to come for Llewellin as he investigated the circumstances surrounding the Rangers complaint as the subsequent investigation revealed significant staffing errors at the Herald. The newspaper was left in a position where the Spiers article would be indefensible in court and the newspaper subsequently published a retraction and apology for the article.

You could be forgiven at this point for thinking that procedural staffing errors as well as sloppy and sub-standard journalism would have been a lesson for the learning for most, but this is Spiers we are talking about, and we all know by now that hell hath no fury like Graham Spiers scorned.

Without a care for the potentially precarious legal position he had placed his newspaper in or the job security of his colleagues at the newspaper, Spiers then embarked on a journey of no return by publishing a blog on the internet defending his action and further undermining his own editor. It’s all about Graham Spiers. He clearly knew this action would have terminal consequences acknowledging same via a tweet.

Of course the jungle drums were quickly beating and it wasn’t long before the Cavalry arrived in the form of the NUJ, with general secretary Michelle Stanistreet stating: “It is outrageous that commercial meddling has led the Herald to sack a respected columnist”

Perhaps Ms Stanistreet would care to elaborate to the rest of us the “commercial meddling” which was involved. We await with baited breath.

But the chaos machine which is Spiers` ego was now in full overdrive. Appearing on BBC Scotland’s “Off the Ball” programme on Saturday 13th February 2016, Spiers repeated the assertions he had made in his Herald article, prompting presenter Stuart Cosgrove to release the following statement on behalf of BBC Scotland.

“Earlier in the programme Graham Spiers made comments about a newspaper story he wrote about Rangers. The BBC would like to make clear those views are not endorsed by the BBC”

Spiers then proceeded to confirm that the hole he had been digging for himself had almost reached Australia.

This is the same Graham Spiers who reported that Aberdeen fans were singing ‘Nice one Jimmy” at Ibrox when a whole host of his fellow pundits condemned them for what they were actually singing.

It is also the same Graham Spiers who wrote about “thousands of Rangers fans racially abusing Bobo Balde” a statement he was later forced to retract under challenge.

The same Graham Spiers who wrote poisonous articles on Rangers legends Jock Wallace and Davie Cooper, following their deaths.

The same Graham Spiers who waxed lyrical about Fiorentina’s “long and illustrious European history” but was happy to peddle the Rangers are a new club nonsense. Seems what is good for the Italian goose is not good for the Scottish gander.

And finally it is the same Graham Spiers who humiliated himself on national television when challenged by Chris Graham, and whose lies that night almost caused a twitter meltdown as screenshots of his actual comments were posted.

It may well be true that journalistic standards in Scotland are under serious threat, but the clear and present danger it faces does not come from anyone inside or connected to Rangers Football Club. The journalistic community should look a lot closer to home to find those responsible for endangering their profession.

[bluewhitevanman 1,619]

 Great post. D'art 

[Cameltoe 52]

 When you look back at all this, a mean, how stupid can anybody be. Spiers manages to keep on shooting his own feet again and again. He's so stupid he feels no pain.

[KingKirk 25,632]

excellent read.

[standup 829]

I want to see proof of his story in the Rangers For Me book.

[Sparkle 53,557]

Spiers is an arrogant pompous supercilious lying nonentity 

[bluemc 305]

Think its about time Rangers went after him and took him all the way on the pish he spouts

[Ivybank 4,580]

Great post dart,why don't you send him this word for word?

[AlBear. 8,499]

Brilliant D'Art.

That saying; 'It's all about the Rangers', is so true.

If you love Rangers it takes over your life. The joy and pride of being a part of the worlds most successful club is all encompassing. We've seen it time and again, a player joins for a spell and leaves forever affected by what they were a part of.

It's the same for those who hate Rangers, it takes over their life. Reason takes a back seat as the bitterness overrides their very being. They become devoid of their humanity as they descend into a Rangers hating madness, as evidenced by Spiers and his hag. Everything in life, for them, becomes about hating us.

As a part of the former group, I can't help but find the comedy at those in the latter group as they meltdown in a seething mess all of their own doing.

It truly is, ALL about the Rangers. 

 

[bluenoz 30,822]

I enjoyed reading that.

[bluedart1952 1,349]

The lying twat known as graham spiers must need to regularly wipe his tongue with toilet paper as there's some amount of shit comes out his gob.

[B1872 20,699]

He's having a meltdown on Twitter similar to the woman beater Collymore. Fingers crossed this is the last step before he does us all a favour and kills himself! ??

[Virtuoso 27,180]

Brilliant as always D'Art

[Virtuoso 27,180]

26 minutes ago, Ivybank said:

Great post dart,why don't you send him this word for word?

Send him this, as he has blocked me 

https://immortalrangers.wordpress.com/2016/02/15/the-ego-has-landed/

[cushynumber 25,178]

If it was true - if -  and a current Rangers director did call the The Billy Boys " a great song" in August of last year, what is a shame is that Rangers felt they had to complain to the Herald about Spiers column where he questioned the mettle of the board to tackle offensive chanting - because TBB is a great song - thats why people want it banned.

The narrative from Rangers to the Herald  was that "you need to prove someone said that" - as if someone at Rangers had done something wrong. What a fantastic opportunity that was to get TBB as a national talking point that could be discussed openly between the Rangers board/fans groups and the Government and police in order to establish some sort of ground rules - to change the lyrics to "big trophies" for example - in order that people are not being arrested for singing it, and Directors can say they like it without fear of media persecution and being labelled bigots.

Its all well and good Spiers getting the sack - but I do believe that with the approach Rangers took, a boat was missed, as the stance Rangers took re-enforced the "criminality" of the song. 

My thoughts are that If TBB is to make a comeback without people being arrested, the club has to take a lead in driving those conversations at a national level. A topic on it in the Bears Den every couple of months wont do it. Instead, Ranger have consigned any discussion around TBB to back room lawyers to protect individual directors - individuals simply accused of saying they like a song. Think about that.

[plumbGER 24,518]

Spot on as usual D'art.

Hope the cunt just vanishes further into obscurity with his bullshit.

[SeparateEntityMyArse 53,715]

Nice one D'art. 

[Dutchy 1,200]

Concise and to the point. Excellent article!

[J_RFC87 761]

Hopefully the end of Mr Spiers' career once and for all.

[Rangers Lady 2,380]

 

It's like poking your once cuddly cat that's now gone Rabid

 

Fucker is turning on everyone he used to cosy up to

 

Time to euthanise the cunt once and for all

 

Oh and well done Dart, concise and eloquent 

 

Cash n yer "Nosh" token next time i'm at the game 

[Orange&Blue 130]

Another great post D'art, the way Spiers is continuing to react I think there's more 'self destruction' to come.....

[foghorn leghorn 608]

So Angela Haggerty, who supposedly got bumped by The Herald might have a brother named Anthony who scribes for the Daily Ronny or Daily Deila.

Anyway, thought I read somewhere that Spiers was purposing to be a Bear behind his altered ego.

[Rangers Lady 2,380]

 

This needs to get right out there though, as someone said we all know what this man/derb is

 

Greensdale in the Guardian giving it, this 4 times award winning hero of the press hounded by Rangers, NUJ etc etc.

 

[blueballss 2,969]

reaping what you sow, the gravy train is slowly grinding to a halt and i along with many wait on it hitting the bumpers

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,137]

 I would like too think that the BBC will now ignore him and give him no more airtime after his trashing of their apology.