The cultural aspect of following Rangers

[Blue72 1,102]

16 minutes ago, KeyserSoze said:

A recent Scottish Social Attitudes survey found that 52% of the population said they were not religious, compared with 40% in 1999 - this is the first time since records began that fewer people in Scotland view themselves as religious than not.

Since 1970 the average attendances at home matches has increased just about year on year - it must come to a point where either all the P(UL) community in Scotland are sitting at Ibrox every other Saturday or most people no longer link religion and Rangers. This trend will continue until religion plays zero part in supporting our club- that's a given.

There's no denying it did play its part, but our future will not depend on it and in fact, may benefit from it disintegrating altogether.

that's the P part done I will deal with the U & L, later in the series

on another note:

People saying our attendances in some way were a massive GIRFUY to the SFA as a result of our demotion are talking bollocks. Our average attendance at home games for the past 15 years has always been good.

 

 

I think you're mistaking cultural background with actual religious belief though.  2011 ScotGov survey showed around 1.8 million still considered themselves Church of Scotland.

That doesn't include those people who consider themselves culturally protestant but who aren't religious or have religious belief.  

I do think that the Unionist element in our support is probably 90%+, certainly of those attending matches.

[KeyserSoze 14,531]

2 minutes ago, With Heart and Hand said:

Good post. We've always had a great support it's just in 2012 there was a feeling that we were under siege and going to the games felt like it was giving the finger to our enemies and not just going to a game. 

It was a weird shift tho, lots of fans who had followed for years chucked it and then a lot of folk came back to show their support

I hadn't been to games for a while before Feb 2012 as my Daughter had just been born, as soon as talk of admin came about I started going to every game again and started going to every away game which I hadn't done before, but at the same time I knew lifelong ST holders who said they couldn't forgive what had happened and weren't coming to games anymore

There was definitely more of a family feel in div 3 tho. Folk from our bus would all meet for hours before the bus came in the pub and would stop at places for a beer before and after games, everyone appreciated just being able to go to the football again when we all had worried we wouldn't be able to anymore

You are very much correct the "feeling" of a GIRFUY was just that, just a feeling - I joined this forum in 2012 because I wanted some solidarity with fellow bears over what happened and perhaps this should have made us a stronger support - I feel the opposite happened eh? in fighting, fans groups and what not have kind of made it all a bit different the now.

I know some bears who have been at Ibrox for 30 years who will never set foot in it again because of what happened - not that they believe the "new club" pish but they can't be arsed with all the shite we now attract both as a club and as a support. My big mate always says he "only ever wanted to go watch the famous and fuck all else"

[With Heart and Hand 8,949]

5 minutes ago, Blue72 said:

I think you're mistaking cultural background with actual religious belief though.  2011 ScotGov survey showed around 1.8 million still considered themselves Church of Scotland.

That doesn't include those people who consider themselves culturally protestant but who aren't religious or have religious belief.  

I do think that the Unionist element in our support is probably 90%+, certainly of those attending matches.

I get what you mean when you say "culturally protestant" as sometimes I feel the same but it also seems like a cop out in a way, I'm an atheist so I  wouldn't say I believed in God to join a group like the masons or OO which I think is something a lot of people do

[KeyserSoze 14,531]

3 minutes ago, Blue72 said:

I think you're mistaking cultural background with actual religious belief though.  2011 ScotGov survey showed around 1.8 million still considered themselves Church of Scotland.

That doesn't include those people who consider themselves culturally protestant but who aren't religious or have religious belief.  

I do think that the Unionist element in our support is probably 90%+, certainly of those attending matches.

I was talking about the Protestant aspect of  PUL - surely there is no such thing as "culturally Protestant" you can't be a wee bit pregnant?

[bluenose_n1 536]

27 minutes ago, With Heart and Hand said:

This is why I don't support Scotland in football 

I've always seen international games as a nuisance that means Rangers aren't playing

When I was wee my Dad took me to my first Scotland game vs Lithuania or some country like that, I was bored out my mind wondering why no one was singing Follow Follow or any good songs, never cared about international football since

Even when it's a big game I simply can't bring myself to celebrate a goal from Griffiths or Brown or any of they rhats, just can't get any joy from it and never have so basically gave up pretending to like Scotland in football years ago and have actively supported their opponents ever since the national team was hijacked by the jacobites

I consider myself British before Scottish so Rangers is my international team 

[Blue72 1,102]

Just now, KeyserSoze said:

I was talking about the Protestant aspect of  PUL - surely there is no such thing as "culturally Protestant" you can't be a wee bit pregnant?

Ah got you.

That's how people define themselves though, as protestant despite having no actual religious belief.  It's more a background/upbringing/community/identity.  

[Harveydp 100]

Rangers are more than a Football Club. The fans who've gained a vocal boldness to be Yes voters, Anti British, Anti Sectarian, they know the traditions and the historic connotations of this club.

Rangers is a historically Protestant Right Wing, perhaps upper class team when put into comparison with the immigrant class in Green and White from the East End.

I'm Glad they sing their Anti British songs, they like us stand for more than football.  Take the IRA chants etc outa Celtic, take the Staunch British, Union Protestant outa Rangers and we become two Clubs in a Shit country that play football. No more no Less.

The folk who've only recently it seems become emboldened by the apparent uprising in Left wing, anti Unionism, that follow us... I don't get it.

Support someone else if you don't like our cultural element. A nice wee family club where you'll not be offended. Have a wee cup of tea at half time with the opposition fans.

We are Rangers, we are hated by Scotland and I would hate it to be any other way.

[KeyserSoze 14,531]

14 minutes ago, Harveydp said:

Rangers are more than a Football Club. The fans who've gained a vocal boldness to be Yes voters, Anti British, Anti Sectarian, they know the traditions and the historic connotations of this club.

Rangers is a historically Protestant Right Wing, perhaps upper class team when put into comparison with the immigrant class in Green and White from the East End.

I'm Glad they sing their Anti British songs, they like us stand for more than football.  Take the IRA chants etc outa Celtic, take the Staunch British, Union Protestant outa Rangers and we become two Clubs in a Shit country that play football. No more no Less.

The folk who've only recently it seems become emboldened by the apparent uprising in Left wing, anti Unionism, that follow us... I don't get it.

Support someone else if you don't like our cultural element. A nice wee family club where you'll not be offended. Have a wee cup of tea at half time with the opposition fans.

We are Rangers, we are hated by Scotland and I would hate it to be any other way.

no one is saying they don't like it ffs and don't tell me how to support Rangers, alrighty

[sairheid_bear 166]

1 hour ago, bombaybadboy08 said:

I don't think you can be a real Rangers supporter unless you embrace the Protestant, Unionist, Loyalist part of it.

I find it very easy to distinguish the good guys from the bad guys as simply wanting independence means you're not one of us or if you support the national team or clean ovens for a living then us real fans have no time for you either.

 

Fuck. Well that's opened my eyes. Forty odd years saying I was a Bluenose and now it seems I never was.

What the fuck have I been playin at all this time? I'd better go clean that oven...

[Frank Reynolds 3,359]

I support Rangers because I was brought up to do so.

As far as the PUL or any other cultural aspect goes, I've no leaning towards that, just isn't my thing.

Football is about the football for me.

[Harveydp 100]

15 minutes ago, KeyserSoze said:

no one is saying they don't like it ffs and don't tell me how to support Rangers, alrighty

Cool Story. Don't tell me what to do. 

[coopsleftboot 5,512]

4 minutes ago, Harveydp said:

Cool Story. Don't tell me what to do. 

Ditto.

[KeyserSoze 14,531]

4 minutes ago, Harveydp said:

Cool Story. Don't tell me what to do. 

Telling folks not to support Rangers is fucking stupid btw, how's that for a wee story?

[Harveydp 100]

8 minutes ago, KeyserSoze said:

Telling folks not to support Rangers is fucking stupid btw, how's that for a wee story?

Aww sweetness. Did I hurt your wee kneebending feelings? 

Rangers supporters should not be SNP voters, Yes Voters. 

We are a PROUD British club. No need to have republican pandering fans. 

[KeyserSoze 14,531]

12 minutes ago, Harveydp said:

Aww sweetness. Did I hurt your wee kneebending feelings? 

Rangers supporters should not be SNP voters, Yes Voters. 

We are a PROUD British club. No need to have republican pandering fans. 

[slimjim1690 4,534]

1 hour ago, With Heart and Hand said:

Good post. We've always had a great support it's just in 2012 there was a feeling that we were under siege and going to the games felt like it was giving the finger to our enemies and not just going to a game. 

It was a weird shift tho, lots of fans who had followed for years chucked it and then a lot of folk came back to show their support

I hadn't been to games for a while before Feb 2012 as my Daughter had just been born, as soon as talk of admin came about I started going to every game again and started going to every away game which I hadn't done before, but at the same time I knew lifelong ST holders who said they couldn't forgive what had happened and weren't coming to games anymore

There was definitely more of a family feel in div 3 tho. Folk from our bus would all meet for hours before the bus came in the pub and would stop at places for a beer before and after games, everyone appreciated just being able to go to the football again when we all had worried we wouldn't be able to anymore

 

1 hour ago, KeyserSoze said:

A recent Scottish Social Attitudes survey found that 52% of the population said they were not religious, compared with 40% in 1999 - this is the first time since records began that fewer people in Scotland view themselves as religious than not.

Since 1970 the average attendances at home matches has increased just about year on year - it must come to a point where either all the P(UL) community in Scotland are sitting at Ibrox every other Saturday or most people no longer link religion and Rangers. This trend will continue until religion plays zero part in supporting our club- that's a given.

There's no denying it did play its part, but our future will not depend on it and in fact, may benefit from it disintegrating altogether.

that's the P part done I will deal with the U & L, later in the series

on another note:

People saying our attendances in some way were a massive GIRFUY to the SFA as a result of our demotion are talking bollocks. Our average attendance at home games for the past 15 years has always been good.

 

 

That chart you have provided is for a period when we were successful or strongly challenging, the later years is when I feel that supporters came together in numbers because of the circumstances the club were in, and along with WHAH's post I was saying that it's just not true that we have ALWAYS had a strong support, I was there in the 80's, what I was trying to say was if administration never happened and we were simply shite, had poor managers and where not challenging year after year then I believe attendances would have fallen drastically,.

The OP asked if we would have supported in numbers because of our "cultural" background, and I answered IMO no we wouldn't have if the above scenario I have given were the case, that is why I said I believe a major part of the amazing support that has been shown in the last 5 years indeed is a GIRFUY to all our haters.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 64,522]

42 minutes ago, sairheid_bear said:

Fuck. Well that's opened my eyes. Forty odd years saying I was a Bluenose and now it seems I never was.

What the fuck have I been playin at all this time? I'd better go clean that oven...

Why do you have a sore head?

[sairheid_bear 166]

1 minute ago, Frank Harrison said:

Why do you have a sore head?

Been sniffing too much oven cleaner

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

44 minutes ago, sairheid_bear said:

Fuck. Well that's opened my eyes. Forty odd years saying I was a Bluenose and now it seems I never was.

What the fuck have I been playin at all this time? I'd better go clean that oven...

Obviously I'm sorry it's come to this and I understand you will have invested a few quid in the club, if I could refund you I would but it's just one of those things.

 

[Inigo 32,526]

1 hour ago, Harveydp said:

Rangers are more than a Football Club. The fans who've gained a vocal boldness to be Yes voters, Anti British, Anti Sectarian, they know the traditions and the historic connotations of this club.

Rangers is a historically Protestant Right Wing, perhaps upper class team when put into comparison with the immigrant class in Green and White from the East End.

I'm Glad they sing their Anti British songs, they like us stand for more than football.  Take the IRA chants etc outa Celtic, take the Staunch British, Union Protestant outa Rangers and we become two Clubs in a Shit country that play football. No more no Less.

The folk who've only recently it seems become emboldened by the apparent uprising in Left wing, anti Unionism, that follow us... I don't get it.

Support someone else if you don't like our cultural element. A nice wee family club where you'll not be offended. Have a wee cup of tea at half time with the opposition fans.

We are Rangers, we are hated by Scotland and I would hate it to be any other way.

Protestant, yes. Right wing and upper class?... Hmmm.

Without the Ulster stuff we're just a shit club? Nae bother mate. 

Stop greetin about how other fans view the club and just support your club the way you want to. Tiresome this 'Rangers, and Rangers fans, have to be what I want them tae be, it's ma baw' attitude to being a supporter.

[Inigo 32,526]

1 hour ago, KeyserSoze said:

You are very much correct the "feeling" of a GIRFUY was just that, just a feeling - I joined this forum in 2012 because I wanted some solidarity with fellow bears over what happened and perhaps this should have made us a stronger support - I feel the opposite happened eh? in fighting, fans groups and what not have kind of made it all a bit different the now.

I know some bears who have been at Ibrox for 30 years who will never set foot in it again because of what happened - not that they believe the "new club" pish but they can't be arsed with all the shite we now attract both as a club and as a support. My big mate always says he "only ever wanted to go watch the famous and fuck all else"

What's stopping your big mate not still doing that? 

[Gman36 3,455]

Supporting Rangers is for many a kind of religion in itself. That would go some way to explaining the relatively large attendances. 

[Harveydp 100]

11 minutes ago, Inigo said:

Protestant, yes. Right wing and upper class?... Hmmm.

Without the Ulster club we're just a shit club? Nae bother mate. 

Stop greetin about how other fans view the club and just support your club the way you want to. Tiresome this 'Rangers, and Rangers fans, have to be what I want them tae be, it's ma baw' attitude to being a supporter.

Fair enough. 

[RangersScotty9 255]

2 hours ago, bombaybadboy08 said:

I don't think you can be a real Rangers supporter unless you embrace the Protestant, Unionist, Loyalist part of it.

I find it very easy to distinguish the good guys from the bad guys as simply wanting independence means you're not one of us or if you support the national team or clean ovens for a living then us real fans have no time for you either.

 

I don't follow religion, I just don't, I have a certain level of respect for people having their own religious beliefs and I understand the history all too well, the importance of the Presbyterian movement which led to the industrial revolution and Scottish enlightenment, with that being said however was it religion as such that sparked both the industrial revolution and the Scottish enlightenment? No, it was political and economic freedom.

Even when it comes to politics I tend not to bother my backside because to be frank, how many people would understand me on any of that and truthfully It bears nothing to do with my love and support of Rangers Football Club that I grew up supporting since I was a wee boy. Sure I'm proud to be British, but when it comes to politics and economics my decisions are simply made for what I support. 

If you ask me, politics and economics creates too much division, Rangers is my go to in order to escape such rife in my opinion, my life is already hard enough as it is due to having lost all my own so-called friends over my political and economic views. For me I'm just happy following my club and I don't affiliate it with politics.

[OneDavidCooper 2,505]

None.