I write this with a heavy heart. I thought the club had gone as low as it could have but it appears that I was wrong. MacIntyre left and I along with many others thought that things may get a bit better. We were incorrect. Fair play to the Gub and others who warned us that Kenny Scott would be no better than MacIntyre, you were right. I must also apologise for writing bits about Scott in a more favourable light than his predecessor in some articles I've done as at first he did make some decent noises but his cover is now well and truly blown.
You will probably be familiar with the incident where members of the Dublin Loyal were told that their flag wasn't welcome at Ibrox any longer as "Behind Enemy Lines" contained on the banner may offend. I have since spoken to many Rangers fans, a Motherwell fan, a Sheep and some Tims, none of which found the banner or slogan remotely offensive. It's certainly not bigoted and just how it could offend is beyond most people's comprehension. Well that is apart from Kenny Scott and his buddy from the police force who was match commander at our recent match versus Falkirk. The banner is an obvious light hearted statement about the way the guys feel being a Rangers Supporter in Dublin and you do not need to be a rocket scientist to fathom that out.
Since the incident, Mr Scott has been emailed by several people and has backed the match commander and reiterated he and the club back the decision to have the banner removed and for it not to be brought back. Some of his emails to Rangers fans were abrupt, some bordered on arrogant. He did take time to answer many of them but it did become clear that he was getting irritated by the emails he was receiving.
Questions I'd like answered by Scott and the match commander at the last Old Firm match at Ibrox was why were Republican Banners allowed to be flown in the Celtic end despite many being offensive to most Rangers fans? Also why were Celtic fans allowed to chant what they like and used phrases like "hun" and "Orange Bastard" and "animals", these three could cause offense for sure so why no action? I'd also like to know how very many seats were smashed yet arrests were minimal or non-existent and Celtic fans had also been consuming alcohol out of cans and bottles and smoking where they sat yet all this seemed to go unchallenged too? Was the Celtic end that day given a free ride to do as they pleased? What were the stewards doing as they certainly weren't doing what they were paid for. I witnessed the damage and also found many drinks containers and cigarette stubs in the Broomloan stand the next day when helping with a card display in case you wondered how I knew the state of the place. So is it just Rangers fans that get hassled at Ibrox for trivial and petty matters when others can do as they please? It's a serious question.
So just where has this incident left the club in the eyes of the fans? The most apathetic will shrug their shoulders no doubt as they have helped Murray and co by turning a blind eye to the shocking way our club is being run. Many other fans like myself are appalled by the events of last Saturday and if this goes unchallenged then what next? The banning of Union Flags or Ulster Flags? The cessation of Rule Britannia? The banning of the word Dublin inside the stadium? Sounds far fetched and ridiculous but you never know. Murray seems to want customers to turn up without banners or flags, to visit the club shop, to buy a programme, to buy a pie and drink, to sit for 80 minutes in silence then piss off home but how many of the aforementioned things you could spend money on do Rangers actually see the cash? What those in high places within Rangers seem to forget is that the Rangers support has changed. It's done all that's been asked of it and more. The fans get the odd word of praise now and then but later the club will score another own goal and it's back to square one. The club still refuse to publically defend the fans or itself from scandalous lies from certain journalists who revel in their sick pursuit of our club and that is totally ridiculous. Murray will defend himself quick enough so why not the club or his customers?
If anything positive has come out of this sorry incident it's the togetherness of many fans, supporters clubs, individuals, message board users and the RST who have all rallied round the Dublin Loyal and rightly so. A meeting has been scheduled with the club and will perhaps have been held by the time you read this. It's good to see the Trust will have representatives in attendance and hopefully this matter will be resolved to the satisfaction of the Dublin Loyal RSC. I'm sure life can be tough enough for them living "behind enemy lines" without "the enemy within" giving them extra grief.
No matter the outcome of this, don't be complacent and remember that next time it could be you, your mates or your supporters club being singled out by the club for some unfair treatment and the only way we can do anything about it is by sticking together and offering support and solutions. Sitting back and taking it can't be an option, the fans have taken too much as it is.
WATP
Paisleyprod