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Hartson and co
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Probably all over the newspapers tomorrow.
Hartson, Pearson and possibly McGeady chanting "IRA" between the verses of the Fields of Athenry.
Considering the parallel with Donald Finlay's drunken antics, I'd expect a bit of storm over this...
Hartson, Pearson and possibly McGeady chanting "IRA" between the verses of the Fields of Athenry.
Considering the parallel with Donald Finlay's drunken antics, I'd expect a bit of storm over this...
Post edited by JustV on
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An Aberdeen paper printed a story about it today but said that Hartson and Pearson weren't actually chanting IRA.
Wonder why the press in Glasgow have been so slow to pick up on this when they were so quick to condemn Donald Findlay?
Just to add, this was a major story around sections of the web on WEDNESDAY afternoon. Major efforts were made to get the story out and it was discussed at every newspaper in Scotland, but they point blank refused to run the story on Thursday (compare this to Donald Findlay in 1999). The P&J, an Aberdeen-based paper, were the only ones in the country not so scared of Celtic that they printed the article today. From then, the flood gates opened and the story is now making headlines - two full days after it should have.
If it wasn't for the P&J, this story would have been swept under the carpet just like the one about Celtic paying a convicted IRA terrorist to paint their Jock Stein banner a few months ago.
A story that should have naturally made the front-pages, but a colossal effort from a huge amount of people was needed to get this into the news.
I really don't think that's front news material though. Most ex convicts from Northern Ireland have menial jobs.
If Rangers were to do have employed an ex-UVF man, or a player was singing about the UVF, then the media would've gone mental...like they did with Donald Finlay for singing Hello Hello at a private function when he was pished.
He was hounded out of his job etc, so people expect that this will make the headlines and be high-profile enough to maintain objective parity.
Personally i reckon what people get drunk and sing about privately isn't really anyone's business, but unfortunately this sort of the stuff with Old Firm is like a small industry these days. The media sells papers, the Scottish Executive can be seen to be focussing on topic in the subsequent limelight, everyone's happy - except the football supporters.
And before the Gers get on their high horse, the condemnation of Paul Gascoigne was hardly deafening, was it? I didn't see Gazza get sacked from Ibrox, although I do remember him being made a hero for doing it.
Still, the press in Scotland has always been pro-Rangers, so why should anything change now?
The press in Scotland are so pro-Rangers that stories regarding Celtic paying a convicted IRA terrorist money, a Celtic player chanting I-R-A on film and a generation of child abuse in the youth team were absolute non-stories to the media.
On the other hand, the way Rangers ground staff cut the Ibrox pitch, the colour of the straws in the canteens and the menu in the Argyle House restaurant are all headline-making sectarian 'scandals'.
If you honestly think the press in Scotland are pro-Rangers then your head is firmly buried in the sand. The manner of the handling of the Findlay and Hartson/Pearson situations is proof enough of this.
They child abuse was a huge story down here, and it was up there.
The other two are non-stories. Especially as the proof is that no Celtic player chanted IRA on film.
And unless you were calling for the immediate punishment of Mr Gacoigne, and the immediate sacking of Mr Findlay- who was actually singing sectarian songs, not just an unfounded allegation of a short chant- any attacks on Celtic are totally hypocritical and unfounded. And I doubt you were on the top of Ibrox demanding for Gazza to be sacked, were you? I suspect, like the rest of the Gers fans, you thought him a hero for committing acts of racial hatred during an Old Firm win.
Interestingly, I happen to know of one Hibs player singing racially abusive songs about Hearts, and that isn't in the paper either.
They don't call the top tabloid the Daily Rangers for nothing. Rangers get an incredibly easy ride off the press on both sides of the border, and always have done.
Celtic are no angels, and I aren't a Celtic fan, but Rangers are by far and away the worst club in Scotland for racially aggravated violence, and are one of the worst clubs in the country for it. They are up there with Cardiff, West Ham and Leeds, and beat the Ointment of my club all ends up (and they are odious fucks as well).
That was a pretty big story in the papers here actually I think you will find.
It is quite clear that Pearson chants 'IRA' so the accusation is not unfounded at all. It's simply a case of much of the media in Scotland being scared to offend Celtic (who actually have a decent PR department ulnlike Rangers).
I think the reason so many people are outraged by this is because of the whole 'Bhoys Against Bigotry' nonsense. Jack McConnel himself has praised Celtic for their attempts to eradicate sectarianism and here on film are 2 first team players singing along to this song - one of them chants IRA and the other is hugging fans who are chanting it. If they were seriously against bigotry then they would have walked off the stage.
I'm not totally naive and therefore I realise that these things go on at private functions. I just don't see why it should be one rule for people connected to one club and another for Celtic!
Sorry, just had to point out that this is certainly not the case at all. In fact the majority of Rangers fans have boycotted the Daily Record in recent years due to their very one sided reporting. I think you will find that it is only the minority of Celtic fans who even still call it the 'Daily Ranger'. I really do wonder where you get your information from Kermit. You sound like the wee Celtic fan they take the piss out of on Only An Excuse every New Year. (And before you say anything, yes I know you're not a Celtic fan but you don't half sound like one :rolleyes: )
Watch the clip. On 13 seconds, Stephen Pearson is clearly chanting I-R-A along with some of the punters. If you can't see it then you could well do with a white stick and a labrador.
Gazza wound roundly hounded by the media, accused of disrupting the Northern Ireland peace process and sent numerous death threats. He was transferred from Rangers not long after.
Donald Findlay lost his job with the club he loved, he was, like Gazza, roundly hounded by the media (front-page news for days) and driven the brink of suicide.
Punished? They both were. Severely.
Compare to Hartson and Pearson. The Celtic PR machine went in to full swing immediately and that's something they're expert at. I'm not calling for them to be sacked; I just want the media to treat them in the same manner they did Findlay and so far that isn't happening.
It's akin to Red Sox players, for example, getting up on stage to sing pro-Bin Laden songs while the crowd join in and egg them on. Now the situation suddenly sounds absolutely ridiculous, right?
Expand on that as much as you can. Please
The song he was singing was deemed non-sectarian in a court of law. Whilst I don't condone it, feel free to argue with the justice system about that one.
Eh, yes it was in the papers. Riordan also admitted he was in the wrong and apologised to Skacel.
Interestingly, that made the papers through the natural process of the news spreading. It didn't require two days and a massive effort from hundreds of people to get the story out in the open.
"They"? Oh, you mean Celtic fans? Shock horror that "they" call it the Daily Ranger. It's commonly referred to as the Daily Retard too; that hardly means it's overly sympathetic toward the intellectually less fortunate.
Aside from the 'sectarian scandals' mentioned above, I could give you a huge amount of quotes that give Rangers an unnecessarily hard time; not about performances on the park - where a poor show deserves criticism - but off the park where the club is given a needlessly hard time with no basis. No other club in Scotland receives so much unjustified bad press.
The club were effectively accused of the murder of a lad in Northern Ireland because of an away strip, the fans were openly labelled "orange scum" and a certain Herald writer has a long, long history of unjustified attacks on Rangers. Even the most exciting finish to a league season in nearly 100 years was not mentioned in the papers at all on the Tuesday (two days) after the game; instead the second best manager in the country was given a huge amount of pages in the build up to his last game in charge. Surely a pro-Rangers press would be writing about THAT last-day-of-the-league for as long as possible afterwards?
No set of football fans are angels but when you label Rangers as above, considering Celtic fans dressed in monkey suits and KKK hoods to throw bananas at Mark Walters on his debut, you can't say that any set of fans in Britain come close to Celtic for having a history of racial hatred.
Just out of interest, if you feel so strongly that the Scottish press are pro-Rangers, why do you think the story about Celtic paying money to a convicted IRA terrorist was not mentioned at all in any of the major tabloids, broadsheets or news websites?
You're either strikingly ignorant on this topic or you're mentally diseased. I'm fairly sure it's the former but to be as blinkered as you are does make me wonder.
Pearson quite clearly chants "IRA", and it looks like Hartson does also. Have you not seen the video?
Illogical and badly thought out.
If the allegations are true - which analysis can probably show - then action must be take by Celtic, comparative to the action taken against Donald Finlay.
Anything else is a double standard.
As for Gazza...pretending to play a flute is not on par with chanting "IRA". And why no mention of Lennon giving fans sectarian abuse either?
What racially abusive song was this?
The "Daily Rhecord" is the more oft-used name given to that paper. How would you know anyway? Have you lived in West Central Scotland?
Where are your sources?
Repeating this drivel is getting to be laughable. Delusional claims with absolutely nothing to support them - pathetic.
I presume Spliffie's talking about the Neil Lennon who was battered by five Gers fans, and was sent repeated death threats simply for playing for his country. By, er, Gers fans.
As I've said, Celtic are no angels, but they are simply not as bad as Glasgow Rangers. End of discussion. Rangers are up there with the worst, like Cardiff, and to deny that is ridiculous. No football club are angels- my club used to be notorious for it (though not the worst), but it isn't as bad as it used to be (though we still have some of the meatheads)- but some are very much worse than others.
I don't deny that I hate Rangers, and would be happy to see them go bust, but that don't make me a Celtic fan. I'd like them to be second to go bust.
We quite often get the Scots papers down here, but not every day, so I must have missed Riordan being in the papers. The coverage is very much pro-Rangers IMHO, just like the English media has its tongue so far up the arse of Manchester United they could like its tonsils clean. Of course, the ManYoo fans deny it, but they're wrong, just like Gers fans are.
Never mind.
Still avoiding the points put to you previously I notice.
It might be best if you don't enter into a discussion when you're clearly totally ignorant about the subject in hand; you'll end up looking like more of an idiot.
Battered by five Rangers fans? You mean a drunken student tried to headbutt him...years ago.
Where's your mention of the more recent attacks on Novo, Ferguson and Ricksen?
Where are the statistics? If it's ridiculous to deny Rangers are up there with Cardiff, then you shouldn't have a problem providing any.
What gives you the impression the Scottish press is pro-Rangers? A large section of the sports being devoted to both old firm clubs does not equate to pro-Rangers bias, perhaps you can illuminate this claim with some actual examples of biased reporting?
A perfect example of 'selective memory'; something common with the mentally diseased and habitual liars. Events that don't fit a twisted, hate-filled agenda are air-brushed from history.
Of course, it could be a sign of ignorance of a subject; choosing to avoid any relevant points (or questions put forward) in a desperate, but failing effort to save looking like a moron.
For your reading pleasure, go and look at the sociological studies undertaken by, in particular, Bill Murray. I can't be arsed googling for you, go and do it yourself.
I didn't know if Ricksen was attacked- show us a story saying how, and by whom, then get back to me. Lennon was stopped at traffic lights by a number of Rangers fans, and he has been sent death threats by a number of Rangers fans for playing for his country. Stop trying to look like a fool by clouding the water- we're talking about Rangers racist scum here, nobody else.
It's typical Rangers this thread. Instead of addressing their horrific racial problem, and their sectarianism which was only nominally abolished fifteen years ago, Rangers fans start bleating about some supposed ill from Celtic. Yes, Celtic have a racial problem too, but the treatment of Bobo Balde has been disgraceful every time he plays at Ibrox. But one thing stands out for all: Celtic have always had players of all faiths, but the Rangers protestant-only policy was only abandoned in 1989. Hmmm.
I suppose that's why nothing will change. Rangers won't do anything about their horrific problems- Findlay was vermin, lets not beat about the bush here- because they're too busy fabricating scandal with the club down the road.
I've seen the video, I don't think they're saying anything much. Yeah, they should have shut the others up. But I'm the only one on the thread posting neutrally here, lets not forget that. I think Hartson is a twat, and if I thought he was saying anything I'd agree. I don't think they are.
Are most Rangers fans sectarian scum? Of course not. But many seem quick to condemn Celtic, without turning the gun on their own club. I didn't see Rangers fans calling for Findlay's head. I saw rangers fans defending him, but not any calling for his head. I don't recall many Rangers fans being too gutted about the deaths of Mark Scott or Thomas McFadden, although I'm prepared to be wrong on that point.
This is quite an interesting read. Both clubs are rightly condemned. But I couldn't give two figs about what Celtic do or don't do- I'm not talking about them. It also points out some fascinating stuff about the NF links to Ibrox.
How does that compare in your twisted little mind to setting off race riots, as Bradford FC's considerable BNP/C18 element are clearly documented to have done?
There is little problem with racism at Rangers, or Scottish football generally. I don't know if you're moronic enough to consider the words racism and sectarianism as interchangable, but if you are, then it might be a sugggestion to quit using them as such.
And what the fuck are you talking about Finlay for? Is he still at Rangers?
Both clubs seriously need to look at themselves and the behaviour of their fans. I am assuming by the condemnation on these boards that the Rangers fans will take to task any of their brethren who they hear chanting anti Catholic/Racist messages. If not then they are as much to blame for this entire situation.
What these players are alledged to have done is abhorrent. I too cannot see theat any of them actually chanted themsleves, however they should have distanced themselves from the whole situation. This does resemble a similar even involving a Rangers Director (if memory serves) and I don't remember the same fans who are abusing Celtic having much to say about the behaviour of their own club in that matter. Hypocrisy is in evidence as usual, when it comes to these two clubs.
Is really is pathetic.
Have you read it? If you had then you would be well aware that Celtic were founded purely on sectarian grounds. Infact, they are the reason that sectarianism is so rife in Scottish football.
That would be the Celtic whose early players and officials were ALL Roman Catholic? A board who NEVER appointed a Protestant director and a club who offered their greatest manager a pools position instead of a place on the board due to him being Protestant?
And the old one about Rangers signing policy is fantastic; brought up by ignorant idiots who would love to believe it was true. Just as a first example, John Spencer, a Roman Catholic, signed for Rangers in 1986. Now I'm sure even you can spot that 1986 came before 1989, therefore how could it be a Protestant-only signing policy until 1989? Either you're lying (again) or you're completely ignorant of this subject (still).
For the record, numerous Roman Catholics have turned out for Rangers, as well as players of other faiths. I'm sure that won't sit well in your hate-filled little mind.
Feel free to expand on those fabrications. Again, you probably won't.
A discussion fades quickly when one side can't back up their arguments, especially when asked to time after time. Feel free to go back and address points made to you earlier in the thread instead of avoiding things you know you can't answer properly.
More worryingly, surely in your field you would be mocked constantly and laughed out for the kind of responses, ignorance and sheer stupidity you're showing here?
I personally couldn't care less if Celtic fans condemn or condone what is on the video; my gripe is with the media response.
As for Lennon, he was attacked at the top of Byres Road at some traffic lights by a drunken student. Hardly an attack by a number of fans!
Unless you've lived in Glasgow I don't think you can understand that unfortunately that kind of crap happens to players from both sides of the old firm. Nacho Novo has received death threats as has Barry Ferguson on several occassions. And Neil Lennon is hated by fans of every club in Scotland, not just Rangers fans. The reason for this is that he is a twat. Of course, calling Rangers fans Dirty Orange Bastards doesn'r really endear him to the Gers fans.
Yep I agree with you on that. The majority of Celtic fans I know denied that Pearson shouted IRA at first but after watching it with me over their shoulder showing them exactly where it happens they admitted it.
I don't think he should be sacked at all but I think the fact that the media have forgotten this already (ehen they are STILL bringing up the Donald Findlay thing) is shocking. Also Strachan's response was terrible. He made himself out to be a complete prat. Celtic need to be seen to do something about it. When Bob Malcolm signed that autograph with FTP (again, the media were all over this) he was fined a hell of a lot of money by Rangers and took part in lots of anti sectarianism campaigning. Celtic don't seem to be willing to do anything about the problems that are in their own dressing room.
Since when did calls for parity in the treatment of both parties become abuse?