>
> It's getting late, but hatred and rage is hatred and rage. You can't
> rationally argue with it. We know its effects, from generation to
> generation at Ibrox, which now feels like a BNP or fascist rally- red
> hand salutes (how did you ever get that past UEFA?) To get back to Artur
> (superficially, for a minute), perhaps he doesn't understand that guys
> like Walter and McCoist and Durrant might have some sporting pedigree;
> he sees what he sees as an outsider, a generation on, and no wonder he
> despises it. The truth is every good Rangers fan (and there are some) is
> an apologist. That's why Strachan was wise in praising the sportsmen,
> but decidedly forceful in pointing out that he was not supporting their
> fans in reaching the final, even he - and I like him, but he hasn't been
> hot wired in the West of Scotland to the bestial bigotry here, and
> that's why some Tims doubt him - knows that it is not just about winning
> here, it's about setting an example. It's not so much that the West of
> Scotland is anti-Catholic any more, it's that it doesn't know what to do
> about Rangers, and the mentality that festers there. Only recently their
> Chairman, a sophisticate of sorts, had to say openly that there was no
> place for the FTP brigade - that it even needed to be said! That such
> was the fear of Euro destruction that Rangers fans in Lisbon (second
> only to Rome as a place to be defiled in their mentality) and the home
> of the fabulous Duomo in Florence, had to be hand picked and given the
> tickets for free. That former players don't constantly and explicitly
> distance themselves from the sectarian element (but some do, as in
> Butcher's book) is evidence enough of the feeble attempt to cover up
> the rottenness with apparent sportsmanship. The Scottish Parliament is a
> devolved parliament with nothing much to do. The thing which it needs to
> do, following NI and Paisley and McGuinness, is DESTORY bigotry. But
> bigotry will be the fault of Catholic schools again, you can bet. Blame
> the victim. We all can guess what might happen in Manchester. There
> could be super intimidation everywhere so Rangers win, in and around the
> stadium, and quite possibly a two year ban again like 1972. Can we
> expect many St Petersburg fans to travel? Rangers were recently banned
> from Liverpool after all. I'm not ruling out corruption either. We have
> seen this before in huge competitions. Ex- Gers like Fernando and Dick
> will be involved, but I respect their integrity and insinuate nothing at
> all against their characters, or those in senior positions at Rangers,
> and presumably the highest standards will be observed throughout and
> closely scrutinised by UEFA. We'll watch too.
>
>
> --
> jinkylubolarsson
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