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A Dinosaur rears his head.


D'Artagnan

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I am a bit undecided about this issue as on the one hand I love the Loyalist/Unionist stance of the Rangers support as it gives you something to hang on to, something to be genuinely proud of that Rangers are just that little bit different from most other big clubs. For example, I love the colour and spectacle of an orange walk - it's awe inspiring on the eye and Heavenly on the ear. The militaristic beat of the soul soaring music makes you glad to be alive.

On the other hand, I have a lot of Celtic supporting friends whom I trust and respect and the words and meanings of the some of the songd hit a little too close to home for comfort. In my teenage years I sung the whole songbook but now that I've mellowed and seen a little bit of the world I simply can't feel good about singing some of these songs.

I don't know, I'm probably regarded as a 'handwringer' in here but what I will say is I've been following Rangers for nearly a quarter of a century, a lot of the time despite some reservations about our PUL image, but I'm still here and still proud to be a bear. I'm not sure how I fit into the the OP's idea of how one should act as a Rangers fan but I know that I'll be here regardless.

By the way, I'm a bit drunk and not sure if I'm making any sense but I hope I got my point across properly.

Fucking hell, this is the first time you've struck a chord with me TWB. If I'm brutally honest most of your typical one line cynicism leaves me cold.

I'm from what's being terms a PUL background. In my youth and beyond I've sang every song in the repertoire. But years of experience has a funny way of tempering ideals.

I've served in the forces, in peace and conflict - and some of the guys I trusted with my life were of Irish catholic extraction. They were and always will be friends.

I detest Celtic Football Club and what they represent. I think the Roman Catholic church is corrupt and continues to do a whole lot of damage in the world. But if I was asked: do I hate people because they happen to be catholic or celtic fans? then the answer would have to be no.

It's enough for me to be proud of who I am and where I came from. I don't need to hate people I don't know because of an accident of birth.

There are good and bad people in every demographic, there are people from our side who are unworthy of their heritage just as there are those from the other lot who are decent human beings.

Life is shades of grey for the most part.

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you are correct , it does not, but, for those of us who grew up with these beliefs and values, they are tied up with our love of the club....... different strokes,different folks as they say..

Agreed bit I love and support Rangers I without any need for any 'additions' I don't need add ons to do so - 140+ years of sporting excellence is enough and my support does not need bolstered by third party associations

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Fucking hell, this is the first time you've struck a chord with me TWB. If I'm brutally honest most of your typical one line cynicism leaves me cold.

I'm from what's being terms a PUL background. In my youth and beyond I've sang every song in the repertoire. But years of experience has a funny way of tempering ideals.

I've served in the forces, in peace and conflict - and some of the guys I trusted with my life were of Irish catholic extraction. They were and always will be friends.

I detest Celtic Football Club and what they represent. I think the Roman Catholic church is corrupt and continues to do a whole lot of damage in the world. But if I was asked: do I hate people because they happen to be catholic or celtic fans? then the answer would have to be no.

It's enough for me to be proud of who I am and where I came from. I don't need to hate people I don't know because of an accident of birth.

There are good and bad people in every demographic, there are people from our side who are unworthy of their heritage just as there are those from the other lot who are decent human beings.

Life is shades of grey for the most part.

Fking hell - I agree with this - I also was in the forces (7 years) - also had a PUL upbringing, sang the songs and, in my case, decided to disassociate my support of Rangers with any politics or religious beliefs as I think the club must move on from that ( just my opinion)

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I have no Protestant, Unionist or Loyalist ties whatsoever. Obviously a large section of our support do and that's fine.

I don't see any of this as criteria for identifying someone a true fan. I'm not entirely sure what 'handwringer' refers to but I am definitely not up for Rangers being defined wholly or mainly by the P/U/L values that a lot of fans hold.

I do love this club and it's as much mine as it is anyone else's

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I have no Protestant, Unionist or Loyalist ties whatsoever. Obviously a large section of our support do and that's fine.

I don't see any of this as criteria for identifying someone a true fan. I'm not entirely sure what 'handwringer' refers to but I am definitely not up for Rangers being defined wholly or mainly by the P/U/L values that a lot of fans hold.

I do love this club and it's as much mine as it is anyone else's

I agree with you Bud, that's the beauty of the Club as in many differing views as to why we follow follow and no-one I know would ever think badly of a fellow Bluenose who express the view that you have.

I think the thread is in answer to people who express their viewpoint in a way that slates people who follow the Club and still liek the fact the Club have these very strong (in certain fans) views as to what the club means to them re Protestant, Unionist and Loyalist beliefs. I have mentioned that I had two friends a father and son .the father converted to a roman and his son was brought up a roman, who went to one fo their schools and both attended their church every week..........but both supported Rangers no matter what and the dad was their from the early 60s onwards and through the decade until his death and his son used to have to fight his way through his school.

So that's the other side of the coin we don't hear about and I am sure others from their background will follow Rangers for their own reasons.

As I said the thread is about answering the people who call for this typ of Rangers fan to give up his/her belief in what the Club means to them.

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I am a bit undecided about this issue as on the one hand I love the Loyalist/Unionist stance of the Rangers support as it gives you something to hang on to, something to be genuinely proud of that Rangers are just that little bit different from most other big clubs. For example, I love the colour and spectacle of an orange walk - it's awe inspiring on the eye and Heavenly on the ear. The militaristic beat of the soul soaring music makes you glad to be alive.

On the other hand, I have a lot of Celtic supporting friends whom I trust and respect and the words and meanings of the some of the songd hit a little too close to home for comfort. In my teenage years I sung the whole songbook but now that I've mellowed and seen a little bit of the world I simply can't feel good about singing some of these songs.

I don't know, I'm probably regarded as a 'handwringer' in here but what I will say is I've been following Rangers for nearly a quarter of a century, a lot of the time despite some reservations about our PUL image, but I'm still here and still proud to be a bear. I'm not sure how I fit into the the OP's idea of how one should act as a Rangers fan but I know that I'll be here regardless.

By the way, I'm a bit drunk and not sure if I'm making any sense but I hope I got my point across properly.

I get as to what you mean.

What I would say is that you may have missed what the OP is actually about..............we are as a Rangers support made up of many different reasons as to why we follow Rangers, my take on the thread is that it's answering a section of Rangers fans who say this sort of reason for following Rangers should be left in the past, yet I have no doubt these fans who attack this particular reason for supporting the Club will themselves dwell on the History of our Club and the OP makes a very good point that those thought of as Dinosaurs are very much alive and still part of the Clubs support ..historically and in the present and i have to say long may it remain so.

This shall we say horror as some will think of re reason to follow , was started by murray many years ago to suit his agenda and our friends from the east picked up on this and have driven it forward so much that sections of our support have bought into it.

You mention your roman friends , well the ones I had would be first to back me up if I was in trouble and never to offence to my singing nor did I or my mates take said offence to their songs. The offended roman linked to their club is a different type nowadays in that they are mock offended and they have a goal that they are working towards.

As I said i fully get your post and think you may have picked up the wrong meaning from the OP. If you haven't then what a tosser i have been typing all of this :7325:

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Excellent D'Art.

As you say it started off with four young boys and evolved into an institution which has combined all those beliefs of unionism, loyalism and Presbyterianism.

It's safely stowed in our history, never to be lost. Proof ? It's there in black and white, it's there in the stories passed through generations of Rangers supporters , it's there in some supporters today and it's even there in our haters, who will tell you that's what we're all about. Nothing to be ashamed of and everything to be proud about.

The way I see it there are two entities here - Rangers the football club and Rangers the institution . I've got good friends that support us as a football club and likewise those that go the full hog and support the unionist,loyalist and Presbyterian ideals. Both equally fanatical about Rangers.

Sadly there are some here that question the link between Rangers and those beliefs. Why - I'm not really sure. Like I said earlier , its there for all to see , and if they want to be selective in which part of our history they want to delete than that's up to them. To me tho, I'm proud of it - it represents everything that we should stand for.

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D'art, an excellent post and one which strikes a chord with me. To follow our club you need nothing but love for the club, however there is a part of the club and I would say a large part, that is aligned with PUL beliefs. To deny this is sheer folly IMO. There are those who dislike this aspect and would like to change it, not surprisingly they only feel the need to vent their feelings behind laptops/computers than on the terraces at Ibrox where the dynamics change a little.

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Good article that.

Myself im not one for religion so ive never fussed on that side of things, not in the slightest bit bothered by those who are though and it's great that people can be so passionate about their beliefs.

I think that makes, not sure how to put my point in words sometimes.

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I see you mix up your PUL agenda with just sheer love of the club - again - our Sheffield trip was an obvious success - almost as obvious as you trying to piggy back your beliefs onto said success - what about all the non- PUL fans who also attended and had a great time - love of ones club does not have to be tied to any political or religious agenda

Long time on this site and dont usually post but the shite you have written has made me so angry.The Rangers support certainly do not have the same point of view as you ,we must protect our heritage against every one who is trying to destroy us.Actually thought it was somebody from the east end who had been writting this shite.
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UKIP is not a racist party.

It is the number one choice for people like me who despise the EU and believe the United Kingdom must control her own borders and be free to eject foreign criminals without interference

Completely agree with all that.

1st Jan wasn't calling them racist tho .

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Superb work d'artagnan.

When jeff stelling was quoted as saying

We are"the quintessential British club"

Little did he know what a fantastic title he was bestowing on our famous club.

Sheffield felt like a new beginning,and it was nice to gain the massive respect we got from opposing football supporters for simply celebrating our identity and culture.

We must build on this achievement as a club and support, I'm sure a fair percentage of the good people of Sheffield were expecting a marauding hoard of drunken skirt swirling lunatics to decend upon them last week, it was great to dispel their fears and gain a lot of new supporters.

It's not a crime (yet !) to be patriotic and proud of being British but it can feel like it sometimes here in Scotland.

We have to be carefull as no doubt the usual suspects are lurking in the background just waiting for the chance to bring us back down a peg or two, we all know what we can't sing, what add-ons to leave out and if we clean up our act in that respect they can't touch us.

Congratulations to my fellow bears who made the trip to Sheffield and made such a fantastic impression if we all work hard at 'public relations' and follow on your good work we will repair our tarnished image in the eyes of the English media.

I salute you

:uk:

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Time changes things, there are massive changes in our support from when I first went to Ibrox. The religious aspect particularly, education and the internet do have an effect on people beliefs. The number of atheists, agnostics etc. in our support has increased greatly since the 1950's, all for the better IMO.

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You don't have to be a Protestant or believe in God to be a loyalist

People keep bringing religion into it but IMO its never been about that

People who aren't loyalists love throwing in the line about religion fading so loyalism is a thing of the past too - that's wrong - loyalism is more valid than ever in this day and age

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Time changes things, there are massive changes in our support from when I first went to Ibrox. The religious aspect particularly, education and the internet do have an effect on people beliefs. The number of atheists, agnostics etc. in our support has increased greatly since the 1950's, all for the better IMO.

That is a blatant lie about the 50s. Religion was still a big part back then.

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I see you mix up your PUL agenda with just sheer love of the club - again - our Sheffield trip was an obvious success - almost as obvious as you trying to piggy back your beliefs onto said success - what about all the non- PUL fans who also attended and had a great time - love of ones club does not have to be tied to any political or religious agenda

I think he acknowledged that we have many supporters who don't hold all of those traditions and that there are some that may actually hold none.

However, a man would have to be blind and ignorant to ignore the obvious. In following Rangers you have to accept the complexion, colour, shape and form of what the club are and even if you are not part of that personally, you nonetheless have made a commitment to that rich heritage. The only alternative is that you somehow wish to change it.

That would truly be bizarre. It reminds me of the hypocrisy of so many who have come as immigrants to the UK for a better life, more freedoms and to embrace a cultural development that offers a greater human opportunity than the failing benighted countries that they often gladly left behind or escaped, but then wish to reshape our nation into the twisted ugly form of their previous shit hole.

If you have accepted who we are, why we are who we are, and that we are who we are and will not be changing, then why are you railing against a post that merely reaffirms our fine identity?

A Spaniard can support Barcelona with all of the cultural and nationalistic baggage that Barcelona carry, and yet be a Spaniard or even a foreigner who shares not one bit of that sentiment. However, I doubt such a supporter would come onto their forums and pour scorn or even cast doubts upon that identity or indeed its integrity, because that would entail a liberty too far.

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