The fields have been cultivated.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

"Paul Le Guen, formerly of Rangers but not considered "Rangers' minded" by the more confused denizens of Ibrox could take over at the significantly greener Hibernian"

I would imagine than this quote from Today’s Guardian newspaper would not register with many of us as the worst attack on our club or support from the media. Annoyed as I was that was also my initial reaction.

But then I got to thinking about it as I ruminated it over and over in my mind.

There is an inference from the author of that piece which is evident to all of us. But I very much doubt that little ditty was put together for the benefit of Bears. Which made me realise that it was for the benefit of others who would pick up on what is “written between the lines”

And then it dawned on me. The author didn’t need to elaborate or expand on what he had written. The audience had already been primed ....or if this was a field – it had already been cultivated...Rangers are a bigoted club and this little ditty only served to re-enforce the message.

Of course its lies. But as David Leggat has highlighted lately...no matter how big the lie if it is repeated often enough.....Cue the Goebbels doctrine.

Which caused me to further reflect on the extent of the fields which have been cultivated.

Now within our support area number of people who dismiss the power of the media...and even our chairman seems to have dismissed their power as irrelevant. Anger over press comments are dismissed as “paranoia” or “overreaction”. As I have done previously I would ask these people again if the media is so inconsequential why do our political parties constantly court their favour....why does every large organisation employ media officers...in short why are they so concerned with how they are portrayed in the media if it is so inconsequential ?

But the problems we face go way beyond the football field.

Let’s take our country for a moment. Our first Minister is happy to chide the Tory party that they have no mandate to govern in Scotland due to their singular representative at Holyrood. Yet two thirds of our own country voted for political parties committed to the Union.

So what kind of representation do we have in “our parliament” ? Well when the Queen officially opened it 48 of the 129 MSP’s boycotted the opening due to Her Majesty’s presence. 37% of MSP’s would appear to be republican in their beliefs. But of greater concern is the Sunday Herald poll of several years ago where 91%....yes 91% ( its not a typo error)...stated that the Catholic Church had an unhealthy influence in Holyrood. This is a church which represents only 16% of our country’s population.

The fields have been cultivated.

There are those within our country who would refute our right to be both British and Scottish. For them its either or. They don’t necessarily need to be republican in nature, though often they are, anti-English xenophobia is a common trait. Bill Leckie, so often a critic of the Rangers support, is particularly venomous with his anti-English sentiment via his sports section. In our own country there is a misconception that hatred of the English is different from the racism or bigotry which the Scottish media love to throw as an accusation. There is none so blind as those who cannot see.

The fields have been cultivated.

Only the week before last someone had the “temerity” to criticise the Tartan Army for booing the Lichenstein National Anthem. The excuse offered was that it was the same tune as God Save the Queen. Apparently that excuse served as some kind of justification.

The fields have been cultivated.

Rangers Football Club parade the Union Jack at the start of every game. Our fans carry that symbol as a badge of honour. Club and supporters group break world records with card displays honouring that flag and all it stands for. Our Afghan heroes are paraded at Ibrox to standing ovations. We impeccably observe minute silences in the memory of Britain’s fallen. What does it merit from our press...?

“Ibrox resembled a Nuremeberg Rally”

The fields have been cultivated.

There is a book which suggests “As you sow, so shall you reap”.

Perhaps its time we turned our attention to those cultivated fields and to just what we were sowing.

[dummiesoot 15,454]

Lucid and perfectly put as usual D'Art.

[Adoniram 1,919]

Watch for BP9's predictable pile of shite contradicting your assertions

[AMMS 27]

Who wrote the PLG line? It is ignorant beyond belief, without wishing to reopen the PLG debate he clearly split the support; but it was entirely down to his managerial ability rather than where he might have spent Sunday mornings as a child.

[gunslinger 270]

that comment in the guardian is simply a disgrace.

[Adoniram 1,919]

Who wrote the PLG line? It is ignorant beyond belief, without wishing to reopen the PLG debate he clearly split the support; but it was entirely down to his managerial ability rather than where he might have spent Sunday mornings as a child.

Every quote attributed to PLG before during and after his brief tenure said the same.

Lying in print ....and here's me thinking that Rangers FC or PLG may ask the Guardian to substantiate this lie or print an apology forthwith.

Their silence allows this kind of lie to be printed with impunity.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

Who wrote the PLG line? It is ignorant beyond belief, without wishing to reopen the PLG debate he clearly split the support; but it was entirely down to his managerial ability rather than where he might have spent Sunday mornings as a child.

There is no author attributed to it AMMS. Even more cowardly.

[MisterC 11,810]

Is there a link to this quote please D'art? Just had a scan of the grauniads football section and there was nothing there I could see about Le Guen going to Hibs.

[bluepeter 5,627]

Who wrote the PLG line? It is ignorant beyond belief, without wishing to reopen the PLG debate he clearly split the support; but it was entirely down to his managerial ability rather than where he might have spent Sunday mornings as a child.

I honestly don't remember his religion being brought up even once while he was here. He was slated for several things, that wasn't one of them.

[Adoniram 1,919]

Only in the supplemental.Didn't have the balls to post it online

[BRICKY1872 118]

There is absolutely no foundation for the opening comment attributable to the Guardian. Considering the managers Rangers have had in their past with no direct link to Rangers it is an entirely ignorant and ridiculous assertion.

[eastcoastbear 122]

"Paul Le Guen, formerly of Rangers but not considered "Rangers' minded" by the more confused denizens of Ibrox could take over at the significantly greener Hibernian"

Afternoon D'Art.

Remember the old "chip chip" thread? About time it was posted again, if anyone has it saved?

No agenda against RFC? My arse.

[MisterC 11,810]

It was never an issue what his religion was, it was down to his record as manager and also the fact he underestimated the nature of Scottish football that made the fans dislike him. Never once at Ibrox or when going home in the subway or in the pub after games did I hear anyone say anything about his religion.

[pcbear 10,913]

PLG was given a welcome bordering on delirium because we thought we had snared one of the best managers in Europe, we all know which way it panned out results wise, it just never happened here, but whats been printed is outright lies.

[rossDas 1,071]

I seem to remember Paul Le Guen being greeted with rapturous adulation; fans singing his name as he emerged from the tunnel.

The comment seems to be marinaded in the essence of Timmy's guilt - the sheer absurdity of Celtic-mindedness' a stain the author would have transferred to our support. I somewhat doubt that we have heard the last of this slanderous tag.

[TravelingWilBEARy 4,319]

I remember everyone on Follow Follow changing their username into the French translation. His religion wasn't an issue and anyone who implies that it was is a liar.

[ogbg 20]

I wonder if it was a certain Mr. Glendenning.

Although I actually remember James Richardson on Football Italia years ago suggesting that Negri's loss of form was something to do with his being a Catholic playing for Rangers as well.

[Guest therabbitt]

Is this in the Guardian or the Observer? Is there a link to the article?

[mark_ni 12]

I honestly don't remember his religion being brought up even once while he was here

i vaguely do but it was only the scum fans who mentioned it. No rangers fan ever mentioned it, we didnt care but those bigots on the other side of the city couldnt take that in and tried to make out that we didnt like him because he was catholic.

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

That's what happens when you don't stand up for yourself,everyone has a pop.

That comment is a fucking disgrace,ffs we've had catholic captains of Rangers before Le Guen arrived.

Great article btw D'art.

[Guest therabbitt]

For clarity, this appeared in yesterdays Guardian? In print but not online, with no attributed author?

[covenanter 158]

For clarity, this appeared in yesterdays Guardian? In print but not online, with no attributed author?

I suspect Barry Glendinning.

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

For clarity, this appeared in yesterdays Guardian? In print but not online, with no attributed author?

Confirmed Rab

[D'Artagnan 13,319]

I suspect Barry Glendinning.

Thats seems to be the popular concensus C

[AMMS 27]

Any chance you could post the context this appeared (SPL round-up piece, gossip column, ramblings of some guy in the street) and the page too if you know it? Whatever the context this deserves corrected.

As an aside, surely there is no way PLG is going to Hibs, could that story be any more inaccurate?