'Rangers remain Gordon Smith’s Achilles’ heel'

[Boab 73]

If this is a repost, then I apologise but if isn't then it is worh a read.

From The Times

October 13, 2007

Rangers remain Gordon Smith’s Achilles’ heel

Graham Spiers

Following the furore triggered by Gordon Smith’s claims about “an agenda against Rangers†I received a text message on Thursday from someone who has been at the heart of Scottish football for over 20 years.

“Smith is a national embarrassment,†his text said.

“Why?†I replied, genuinely shocked by the claim.

“A former player of a club which revelled in anti-Catholic bigotry for over 100 years, and he has the gall to say it’s all the fault of Catholic schools?†came the reply.

Whatever he has got wrong, it is time, I believe, to nail some of these calumnies about Gordon Smith.

First, and most crucial of all, he is not a bigot, he doesn’t have a bigoted bone in his body, and he is incapable of such a thing. Smith is too decent and too right-minded for such a disease, and it is time some of these stupid allegations were muzzled once and for all. In response to the story in The Times on Wednesday about his allegations in a forthcoming book, frankly, I don’t know what Smith and the SFA were doing in issuing a statement denying that he was a bigot. This had never been at issue: who or where in our story had anyone suggested bigotry on behalf of Smith? It was a trifle dumbfounding to find him and his media advisers coming out of their corners wildly swinging their anti-bigotry handbags when it hadn’t been suggested in the first place.

Secondly, nor will Smith in his role at the SFA show any bias or favour to Rangers or anyone else. I have said before that those Rangers fans who hope to have “one of us†firmly ensconced at the SFA, or those Celtic fans who hope to find “an obvious enemy†in the corridors of power at Hampden Park, are both going to be sorely disappointed.

Smith wants the best for every club in Scotland, big or small. He genuinely cheers for Celtic, say, in Europe, just as he does for Rangers, Aberdeen or anyone else. Those who think they detected “a sneer†in Smith’s countenance whenever he speaks of some Celtic success story are simply misguided fools. They evidently don’t know him.

Smith is not small-minded, he doesn’t harbour petty grudges. On the contrary, he is broad-minded, progressive and even a touch radical in his outlook, with a strain in his thinking which often goes against the grain. For all of this and more he is to be encouraged and aided as a figurehead at the SFA.

Rangers, though, remains his Achilles’ heel, and he has to work through it. This is obvious from the comments he has made in It’s Rangers For Me?, the intriguing book which is about to go on release. Nor is it much of a defence, if you assert as Smith has that there is “an agenda against Rangersâ€, to argue that these comments were made before he took up office at the SFA.

The fact is, it is what he believes, and it is out in the open now. Smith has been burnt by what was always going to be a fiery transition, from being a freethinking, almost fast-and-loose media pundit to becoming an SFA figurehead. There was always a risk in that journey and it has come back to haunt him.

And now that he has said it, let’s try to cut to the core of it: what does Smith mean by “an agenda against Rangers�

Initially, there was a hint that he may mean “an agenda†at the heart of Uefa but I don’t think this is what he means at all. There is also a hint that he may mean “an agenda†within the Scottish media – presumably, among those of us who have heavily criticised Rangers over their bigotry problem – but in further comments Smith quickly and specifically backs away from this.

I believe I know exactly what he means, and it is a worrying sign. By “an agenda against Rangers†I think that Smith believes there has been a climate created in Scottish football – created by blokes like me – in which it has come to be open-season on Rangers in terms of the club’s reputation. I think Smith has looked at the critical comment on Rangers in recent years – and the way these media comments triggered Uefa’s prosecution of the Ibrox club – and has decided that Rangers, much more than Celtic, get a hard time these days. That is really what he is getting at.

The reason this is worrying is because Smith is openly vexed about the truth: Rangers have had a significantly worse press than Celtic, precisely because they have had a significantly worse problem among their supporters. Frankly, if Smith can’t live with this, then he is kowtowing to the hoary old line, once put about by knee-knocking newspaper editors, that you should always make everything absolutely equal in terms of comment about Rangers and Celtic. In terms of bigotry, for instance, this facile principle always meant asserting that “One side is just as bad as the otherâ€, or that “They’re both just as bad as each otherâ€. For years this was the great unwritten, safety-first rule of Scottish sports journalism.

Well, we’ve moved on from this, even if not quite yet in Gordon Smith’s mind. Rangers and Celtic are no more equal in terms of the bigotry problem than Glasgow and Edinburgh are equal in terms of urban deprivation. Indeed, it would be a mild freak if they were. Today, there doesn’t need to be any more hang-ups about condemning Rangers for their significantly greater problem, just as the Ibrox club deserves commendation for the strides it has made in the past two years. Life is hard in this context, life is rarely equal.

Smith needs to get his head around this - it is his one blind spot. He is timorous about it but the age of cowering over bigotry in football is over. “I think there needs to be more even-handedness about it,†Smith complains of the Old Firm debate. Really, Gordon? Do you mean like... just pretend it is equal, always say that “One side is as bad as the other�

Like I say, we’ve moved on from this. If this is really what the SFA chief believes, then his mind is stuck in a previous age. And it ill-behoves a good man with many good ideas.

[Muff 245]

Got as far as, Graeme Spiers and stopped reading!

[Jimenez 1]

Graham Spiers knows the game is up, so long gay boy

[Frankie 505]

I posted about Spiers' unsubstantiated conclusions in this article last week:

It was with great astonishment – not to mention hilarity – that I read Graham Spiers in the journalistic wilderness of the 29,000 daily circulation of the Scottish arm of ‘The Times’ last week.

Once again we have this well-known liar giving us the usual sound-bites (for he said the same thing in a down market tabloid radio phone-in – what must the blessed Martin be thinking of that particular blasphemy?) about how Rangers are the big, bad bigoted boys (sic) of Scottish football. His usual unfounded rhetoric of Rangers having a ‘significantly greater’ problem with sectarianism than Celtic was again in evidence.

This time, these wholly unsubstantiated allegations were in reply to SFA Chief Executive Gordon Smith’s interesting comments in a new book which – ironically and unsurprisingly – contains Spiers making the same tedious accusations (which he calls truths) towards certain parts of the Rangers support.

Let’s get one thing straight right now. Gordon Smith is a respected ex-player; a well-read and educated man; and an ex-broadcaster with the kind of objective, insightful and honest views that a cowardly charlatan like Spiers can only dream about. Spiers’ questioning of this man’s integrity is about as credible as Jim Traynor telling us how to pull women in night-clubs!

When Gordon Smith (interviewed earlier this year by myself) spoke about agendas I have no doubt it was Graham Spiers that led his way of thinking. While Spiers (and his supporters) may claim partiality and balance, it’s easy to prove them wrong (and Smith right) by just a quick use of the internet facilities at News International.

Perform a quick search of Spiers’ recent articles about the sectarianism subject and one will find several columns rightly criticising a small element of the Rangers away support adding on F-T-P at Inverness in the first game of the season. Of course he wasn’t the only journalist discussing the subject and in many ways I’m glad they did. I, like the huge majority of Rangers fans, deplore our fine traditional songs being spoiled by the kind of lyric that has no place in football. As such, the early warnings for our support and the excellent pro-active measures then put into place by the vigilant Rangers fan groups means, since that first game, our home and away support have had no problems with bigotry. None.

It’s this kind of positive self-examination and policing of our own minority of fans that deserves much praise from all quarters. Spiers himself has suggested as much, while all the authorities (UEFA, SPL, SFA and Strathclyde Police) have also expressed delight at the eradication of the offensive add-ons from our support. Great strides – although further hard work and caution must be applied to ensure our support remains one of the best and proudest in world football. Of course we’re not without our faults but we proved over the last 2 years we are up to the challenge of admitting them, facing them and removing them.

Conversely, this season has seen other clubs come to the fore with regard to ‘discriminatory chanting’. Motherwell faced investigation for racist chanting while Celtic remains the only club to have had arrest(s) for sectarian breach of the peace. Add to that their songs about ‘huns’ (deemed a sectarian term by Nil by Mouth) aimed at Hearts and Dundee fans as well as the usual hymns of support for sectarian terrorist organisations, means the bigotry issue is not obviously restricted to Rangers and their support.

As such, one would expect Graham Spiers (for he claims he does not have an agenda) to have fully discussed and condemned these high-profile examples of a sectarian industry which has made him a pretty pound over the years. Performing another quick search of his articles this season finds no such pieces. Nothing about the arrest of Celtic fans. Nothing about the vast majority of the Parkhead support singing ‘Go Home Ya Huns’ to Hearts fans. Nothing of the IRA glorification by the Celtic away support at Dundee in the CIS Cup last month. Nothing about Motherwell fans allegedly aiming racist taunts at black players for the second time this year.

How can that possibly be? Surely Spiers – who revels in his sectarian crusader image – would be at the forefront of calls for censure towards these clubs? Why don’t we have exclusive insider comments from UEFA committee members (why did Spiers get them before other journalists one wonders?) informing us of discipline to the clubs? As someone who takes offence at Gordon Smith’s allegations of agendas why exactly has Graham Spiers not written about these other issues?

At the very least; allegations of Rangers having a ‘significantly greater’ problem appear completely at odds with the current evidence. As such, one must join Gordon Smith in questioning why Spiers (and others to be fair) has largely ignored some of the above issues.

I’m sure we could go on exposing Spiers for his complete lack of credibility in these matters. Unfortunately, it pains me enough already to highlight this imposter once again. I’d much rather ignore his rantings but as long as Spiers’ lies and imbalance reaches the same number of online viewers as my articles do, I’ll continue to objectively, honestly and openly debate his claims.

Furthermore and most importantly, I’ll provide facts and evidence for my opinion - unlike Spiers who resorts to penning the same lies; the same childish insults and; the same biased, inaccurate agenda Gordon Smith so correctly told us about. The best thing about this whole recent issue is Spiers being shown up for his own imbalance by his own startling lack of input to non-Rangers negative stories. It makes his pitiful defence last week all the more embarrassing.

As such, I won't be the only person on the ever-growing list of Scottish people laughing at this particular discredited corduroy crusader’s demise.

Graham Spiers – a liar and a coward.

[Guest Andypendek]

i think i read it a while back boab.

if we can disentangle the natural loathing of spiers from the big picture, its interesting to see how quickly all this piss and wind died away. excepting spiers himself, who after all had a vested interest, and the usual mouth-foamers on the phone ins, the general air was 'what's the big deal?' indeed, the pendulum has markedly swung...just as we start getting better, what a co-incedence.

there are those you'll never convince, those who emotions blind them to logic or reason. well, fair enough, football is emotional. but i reckon the reaction to this helps nail any ideas of agendum against the fans/club...in my eyes it was all hogwash.

this excludes, of course, those who choose to put themselves in a blatantly anti-RFC position for reasons of notoriety, circulation or being stuck in the 50s. but they don't counjt for much, and soon, they won't count at all!

[Guest Andypendek]

should point out my post was entered at the same time as frankies and is not an argument.

[Frankie 505]

indeed, the pendulum has markedly swung...just as we start getting better, what a co-incedence.

Andy:

I largely agree with your post above but must admit I'm a bit puzzled at the highlighted statement. What makes you think the pendulum has markedly swung?

[dafloppyone 0]

would be good if someone could compile all and I mean all his articles and prove to everyone that he has an agenda.

[Jimenez 1]

would be good if someone could compile all and I mean all his articles and prove to everyone that he has an agenda.

http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?...8&hl=hatred

[Guest Andypendek]

i reckon a good few things show how the tide has turned, frankie. i'm thinking of the pelters everything connected with ibrox was getting, say, 18 months ago. on and off the pitch, anything was fair game right down to the tedious and childish 'eggs benedict' nonsense. we got our house in 'order' from day 2 of this season yet still the criticism came - celtic fans with frankly supernatural powers of detection were on the phone ins berating us every time a game was on tv, and they were supported bya good few panellists.

now look at recent events.

smith got the sfa job, and those who questioned his impartiality were derided.

spiers brings out the interview, and smith is largely supported, or, at least his right to an opinion - an opinion about unionism, presbyterianism and culture, remember - supported.

2 CL games and an OF game at ibrox - no media sniping about the fans, not about derry's walls or no surrender. not even the usual tims with radar-like aural capacity.

now, i'm not actually giving the media any credit for this. they are only doing it coz we are on a roll and they want kissy-kissy. i mean, imagine supporting someone's right to an opinion! big wow! but, imo, IT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED a year or so ago, esp. on such a touchy subject.

[nvager 498]

would be good if someone could compile all and I mean all his articles and prove to everyone that he has an agenda.

http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?...8&hl=hatred

Quite a litany of lies there by Mr. Spiers. It proves Gordon Smith was 100% correct. Not that any Bears did not already know that.

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,660]

L I E S - Graham Speirs achilles heel !

[Coopermania 1]

Spiers is a fucking arsehole. He knows jack shit about fuck all.

[Boab 73]

Spiers is a fucking arsehole. He knows jack shit about fuck all.

Coop, tell us what you really think? :pipehorse:

[stuartmccallsfall 4]

I noticed in the last week he did not report on the Champs Chumps game nor any of the European games involving any of the Scottish teams, instead he wrote a rather interesting piece regarding the quality of Barry Fergusons captaincy.

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,660]

I noticed in the last week he did not report on the Champs Chumps game nor any of the European games involving any of the Scottish teams, instead he wrote a rather interesting piece regarding the quality of Barry Fergusons captaincy.

He's deid in the watter the bawbag and he knows it, so he might as well carry on as he's been doin for most of his pathetic life slaggin us cos he's chopped liver anyway !

[Guest Andypendek]

the worst of it is, a few weeks ago i saw a piece he had done regarding football on arran, the games between the various villages and depicted 60 years olds wheezing round chasing shadows. it was very good. no other writer in the last 10 years has had the intellect, or the interest, to move away from the suffocating OF bubble and explore the byways of scottish football - remember his fixation with the ayrshire juniors?

and now, all we get is constant digs at rangers. what a waste. what a total waste of talent. you're not going to end up with a statue in george square, spiersy! its too late now, but for pity's sake stop making it worse.

[Briton 394]

So why Speirs didn't point out straight away that this mystery guy was an out and out liar when he said , '“A former player of a club which revelled in anti-Catholic bigotry for over 100 years...†? He would have known that.

[Frankie 505]

i reckon a good few things show how the tide has turned, frankie. i'm thinking of the pelters everything connected with ibrox was getting, say, 18 months ago. on and off the pitch, anything was fair game right down to the tedious and childish 'eggs benedict' nonsense. we got our house in 'order' from day 2 of this season yet still the criticism came - celtic fans with frankly supernatural powers of detection were on the phone ins berating us every time a game was on tv, and they were supported bya good few panellists.

now look at recent events.

smith got the sfa job, and those who questioned his impartiality were derided.

spiers brings out the interview, and smith is largely supported, or, at least his right to an opinion - an opinion about unionism, presbyterianism and culture, remember - supported.

2 CL games and an OF game at ibrox - no media sniping about the fans, not about derry's walls or no surrender. not even the usual tims with radar-like aural capacity.

now, i'm not actually giving the media any credit for this. they are only doing it coz we are on a roll and they want kissy-kissy. i mean, imagine supporting someone's right to an opinion! big wow! but, imo, IT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED a year or so ago, esp. on such a touchy subject.

Apologies for the delay in replying mate - wetting the new bairn's heid the day...

To clarify, I've no doubt in some ways the negative Rangers stories have slowed down to a degree. I must admit though, I've missed the equivalent negative Celtic stories - ie the ones I mentioned in the piece I wrote above.

For the pendulum to swing completely (as you suggest) we'd be reading articles regarding songs about h***, banners about h*** and now, today; banners depicting acceptable assault against Rangers players as well as banners about alleged racism in terms of immigration.

Are you not worried that Celtic FC deem such banners acceptable? Moreover, why is a media who are happy to talk about eggs benedict so reluctant to debate this more serious issue?

They won't of course. As such, the pendulum may well have swung slightly. Nowhere near completely though. Not even close.

[Davy 68]

Apologies for the delay in replying mate - wetting the new bairn's heid the day...

Congrats, Frankie.

[Frankie 505]

Apologies for the delay in replying mate - wetting the new bairn's heid the day...

Congrats, Frankie.

Many thanks mate.

My wee girl (my first child) was born 3 weeks ago. Hence my inconsistent posting of late... Back to work next Friday so normal service will resume then...

[Davy 68]

Apologies for the delay in replying mate - wetting the new bairn's heid the day...

Congrats, Frankie.

Many thanks mate.

My wee girl (my first child) was born 3 weeks ago. Hence my inconsistent posting of late... Back to work next Friday so normal service will resume then...

Good stuff Sir

[*Manticore* 1,893]

I read that article.

Forgive me, I forgot I was boycotting it, and bought it for the free DVD.

But britney was an interesting read.

He can't help himself.

Gordon says '..agenda against Rangers..'

Britney says 'Damn right there is and so there should be - they are worser'.

The thing missing is any justification for that position.

The arrogant fucker thinks that because he asserts it, it is true.

Time's running out britney, we're on to you, and we won't let go.

[dummiesoot 16,013]

Problem is that modern thinking appears to be that if you say something with enough authority, people will believe it and take it for the truth, Speirs follows that particular line of thinking. Personally I call it bullshit.

[Coopermania 1]

Apologies for the delay in replying mate - wetting the new bairn's heid the day...

Congrats, Frankie.

Many thanks mate.

My wee girl (my first child) was born 3 weeks ago. Hence my inconsistent posting of late... Back to work next Friday so normal service will resume then...

congratulations Frankie, great news !!