Big Bad Rangers fans at it again ?

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

Church to send Old Firm film to police

Published on 26 Mar 2011

MARTIN WILLIAMS

AN Old Firm row has erupted after it emerged the Catholic Church in Scotland is to study all footage of last week’s League Cup final to provide evidence to police of anti-Catholic songs sung by Rangers fans.

The move follows complaints that Sunday’s showpiece final at Hampden Park in Glasgow was marred by sectarian chanting, despite renewed pleas from senior politicians, police and Celtic and Rangers for an end to bigotry.

The Church is collecting information after being told action should be taken to ban the fans responsible.

Although Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill described the match, which Rangers won 2-1, as the “final everyone wanted to see” and a “great advert for Scottish football” allegations were made of Rangers fans singing banned sectarian songs.

Mr MacAskill said last night any evidence of crime should be submitted to Strathclyde Police. However, the force insisted widespread arrests were not the solution.

Catholic Church spokesman Peter Kearney said there was particular concern about Mr MacAskill’s comments and Strathclyde Chief Constable Steve House’s own glowing praise of fans’ behaviour, while Rangers fans were singing songs described as offensive.

Mr Kearney added: “We have had quite a lot of messages and emails from people who on the one hand are concerned at the singing and the tone and the lyrics, but more so on the Justice Minister’s comments.

“We are receiving and accepting the reports, many of which are detailed, and we will look through them and we will be willing to act accordingly. The right port of call for complaints of this nature would be the police and I imagine a lot of the people who are compiling or providing information to us will probably be giving it to the police anyway.

“The point is, if people are displaying open, anti-Catholic hostility, that is a matter we are rightly able to comment on. Was it appropriate for Mr MacAskill to give a glow-ing and universal compliment of everyone’s behaviour?”

Police and Government chiefs had been on high alert for the final after an ill-tempered Scottish Cup tie that Celtic won 1-0 on March 2.

There were 34 fans arrested in the ground, three sendings-off and a touchline clash between Celtic manager Neil Lennon and Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist. First Minister Alex Salmond later convened a summit that resulted in a series of measures being suggested, including the possibility of arresting players on the pitch if their behaviour boils over.

A spokesman for Mr MacAskill said: “This sort of unacceptable conduct is exactly why we established the Joint Action Group at the summit, and tackling sectarian chanting is one of the specific issues being addressed.

“Sectarian chanting is totally unacceptable and indeed illegal. We support the strongest possible action to deal with it. Any evidence should be submitted to the police.”

Andy Kerr, president of the Rangers Supporters Assembly, said it was wrong for the Church to single them out for criticism and was surprised by the Church’s stance.

He said: “I am surprised this is coming from the Church. I would have thought they would be wanting to work with the groups to see if there are ways of dealing with this if there is a perception of ongoing problems.

“I am clear there are still examples of songs being sung that we would rather not hear, and that applies across both clubs. If there was a way to switch it off, it would be great.

“I don’t think for one minute we are the only fans who fall below the standards expected.”

Joe O’Rourke, general secretary of the Celtic Supporters Association, has also written to Mr MacAskill complaining that at the cup final he was “subjected to 120 minutes of racist, sectarian singing from the fans of Glasgow Rangers.”

A Strathclyde Police spokesman said: “We do and will continue to robustly police any sectarian activity reported to us. We acknowledge there is still much to be done, however this is not a problem that will be fixed by arresting our way through it.

“We are working with the Government and other partners on the joint action group to find real and long-lasting solution to the problem of sectarianism.”

A Rangers spokesman said: “We oppose all forms of sectarian behaviour by supporters of all clubs wherever it is displayed.”

[AdzKyle 7,836]

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

Are there any of these people that are sane ?

[southsidelad 34]

FFS

[bringonthbarca 25]

Jesus wept. Suprise Suprise no mention really of their pro ira chants.

[lidorfc 6,665]

They really have no shame.

[Tea_Total 20]

I'm glad Andy Kerr has stood up to be counted. What has a football match got to do with religion our own PC mob cry out. Well what has the church got to do with a football match. We know that TBB rightly or wrongly has been deemed sectarian (to me they only get offended when they lose), what else are they objecting too? Maybe it's time for us to draw up a list of their chants/songs, that are equaliy offensive and we can all sit nice and quiet and listen to the players shout to each other on the pitch In the long run the PC brigade will take any rivalry out of the game and kill the game all together.

[caseyjones 3,009]

Fuck off, Kearney, ya papish bastard, oh, and take Andy Kerr with you. Everytime he speaks on this he helps them out with his comments.

[evilcockney 4]

Out sour lemons that lot.

[Sentry 4]

knife crime,rapes,drugs,murders,muggings and poverty are all major social issues that the rc church could be looking at getting involved in-not to mention their own problems that they tend to move around from parish to parish to avoid detection but they lose a cup final and only want to concern themselves about songs.

[simon 1,743]

:lol: What an absolute load of shite.

As much as the guy is an absolute piece of shit, I wouldn't mind a Paul Mcbride type character standing up for us in the media.

Obviously not him, just someone who would stand up and be counted. The club just washes its hands of it every time something like this pops up.

[Sentry 4]

:lol: What an absolute load of shite.

As much as the guy is an absolute piece of shit, I wouldn't mind a Paul Mcbride type character standing up for us in the media.

Obviously not him, just someone who would stand up and be counted. The club just washes its hands of it every time something like this pops up.

the filth lose a wee bit of credibilty when the rc church get involved IMO because Joe Soap tends to look at it and go "they are in no position to lecture" (re child abuse)

We should real;y turn the tables and ask the rc church to help fid solutions for a society problem and beigin with the schools-watch them pipe down then

[DietofWorms 2,063]

So can I as a Rangers and football fan in general, comment on the Scottish Catholic Churchs' ecumenical and moral business. Ok then ... Can you stop your Priests and Nuns touching children? Thanks. Get back to me when thats sorted.

[simon 1,743]

the filth lose a wee bit of credibilty when the rc church get involved IMO because Joe Soap tends to look at it and go "they are in no position to lecture" (re child abuse)

We should real;y turn the tables and ask the rc church to help fid solutions for a society problem and beigin with the schools-watch them pipe down then

Couldn't agree more. Great idea.

[Baz the Bear 1]

Strangely no mention of the pro-IRA songs or 50,000 Septic fans singing that Walter Smith was a "sad orange bastard" in the 3-0 game at the piggery. Wish to fuck someone would come out and defend the fans against this constant persecution from the mhedia and certain authorities. Dont really give a fuck what the Catholic Church have to say considering the abuse they have been sweeping under the carpet for decades.

[ruglenrob 22]

Kearney is a class A clown. In the record he's asked about celtic fans sectarian chants and basically says that's for the church of scotland to deal with just as he'd expect the jewish church to complain about anti semitic chants or songs

Pretty embarrassing stuff if you ask me but then again nothing embarrasses these people.

[RANGERST1LLADIE 33]

Jesus wept. Suprise Suprise no mention really of their pro ira chants.

EXactly. What happened to freedom of speech?

[RFC55 108,970]

Will they study both sets of fans.

Catholic church molesting children since its inception.

Seriously Fuck their pope. The old gestapo can trace my IP address if they must and come visit me.

My reasons for saying fuck their pope is not because im a mad "bigot" but because the guy played his part in covering up child abuse. They are also the biggest hypocrites in the world. Going on about not using condoms meaning their flock in Africa etc end up with the death sentence effectively.

If the pope was called paul o'shaugnessy and was involved in helping a peadophile cover his tracks he would be jailed for it. Because he is head of the kaflik church, well ofcourse he wont be.

So yes Fuck their pope

[Sentry 4]

Kearney is a class A clown. In the record he's asked about celtic fans sectarian chants and basically says that's for the church of scotland to deal with just as he'd expect the jewish church to complain about anti semitic chants or songs

Pretty embarrassing stuff if you ask me but then again nothing embarrasses these people.

he has a point but the COS are dead IMO-they dont want to rock the rc boat and appease them at every turn-I read somewhere last week that a radio debate had a COS minister on to defend single faith schools FFS

The one good thing about this clown opening his gob again is that it stimulates debate and recently all that debate or at least a high percentage tends to go down the schools path.(based on recent roadshows and radio shows I have heard or read about)

Is there a link to the record ?

[Carsons Dog 9,878]

This from the people who were offended by the hokey cokey?

Roman Catholicism is a disgusting religion in the eyes of many people around the world, many thousands who are victims at the hands of their employees

Discredited and disgraced on every continent yet they continue to get offended at the slightest thing

Perhaps instead of generic chanting they should be subjected to specific facts pointing out transgressions which were actually dealt with in a court of law

Surely nobody could be arrested for highlighting and protesting against disgusting criminal behaviour?

[Sentry 4]

I think once they get involved it shifts the focus onto to their hypocrysy and away from the issue they want to raise

[tyabb bear 63]

Apparently the famine is over so they should fuck off home!

[bringonthbarca 25]

EXactly. What happened to freedom of speech?

Went the same way as the dinosaurs

[ruglenrob 22]

he has a point but the COS are dead IMO-they dont want to rock the rc boat and appease them at every turn-I read somewhere last week that a radio debate had a COS minister on to defend single faith schools FFS

The one good thing about this clown opening his gob again is that it stimulates debate and recently all that debate or at least a high percentage tends to go down the schools path.(based on recent roadshows and radio shows I have heard or read about)

Is there a link to the record ?

My link

[ruglenrob 22]

Will they study both sets of fans.

Catholic church molesting children since its inception.

Seriously Fuck their pope. The old gestapo can trace my IP address if they must and come visit me.

My reasons for saying fuck their pope is not because im a mad "bigot" but because the guy played his part in covering up child abuse. They are also the biggest hypocrites in the world. Going on about not using condoms meaning their flock in Africa etc end up with the death sentence effectively.

If the pope was called paul o'shaugnessy and was involved in helping a peadophile cover his tracks he would be jailed for it. Because he is head of the kaflik church, well ofcourse he wont be.

So yes Fuck their pope

Well said. They should be more interested in dealing with some of the stuff here My link