That Was the Week That Was

That Was the Week That Was

There was an article in The Scotsman last Saturday, which summed up the state of competition (or lack of it) in Scottish Football. The journalist (can't even say I was that bothered with who wrote the thing) in question actually summed it all up quite perfectly. The sentiments made were roughly this. 'Old Firm for the better good of Scottish football please GTF.' Although he didn't put it quite so bluntly as I have.

To be fair to the guy, he is telling the truth. Just look at the points difference between the OF side limping home in second place in the league in the last three seasons and the third placed side. Now look already at the gap already opened up this season. Sixteen points (that's more than five league victories) between the yahoos and Hearts in third place and we've only played something like 14 league games.

The bottom line is, the game up here with the Old Firm IS dead and buried. It goes without saying that we all want to be top of the two horse race come next May, but ultimately, if there is not a sustained challenge to the OF then both clubs are going to wither and die. Let's face it, Rangers FC has been stagnating for the last ten seasons. Sure we wanted NIAR. (Hell, I want the league every single season) But ultimately, we want to be playing in Europe come the light nights in springtime. Let's put it this way, another decade of incompetence like this last one and it's anyone's guess as to the state we will be in. Where we go I don't know. But we need to leave Scottish football, because staying here will mean the death of us.

Then we had the visit of the Hivees on the Sabbath. Never in all my puff has so much been made about so little by the referee. The fact is, referee Michael McCurry's performance was an absolute disgrace. He allowed the Edinburgh thugs to kick us up and down the park. He disallowed perfectly legitimate goals for Rangers. He hampered us time and again with not playing the advantage, His linesmen flagged us down time after time on questionable decisions, but because he never gave the Hivees a contentious penalty, it would appear that it is Rangers who got off lightly here?

Then we had Derek Johnstone trying to augment Bobby Williamson's argument after the match by pointing out that only a few penalties have been awarded against Rangers at Ibrox in the last five years. Am I missing something here? May I remind you all, this is an employee of the club. I tell you, I have more time for Jimmy Johnstone as a human being than DJ. At least he's got the bottle to come out and declare what he is and damn the consequences.

Not that DJ is alone when it comes to inducing the 'Wallace and Gromit'. Richard Gough treated us all to his tuppenceworth in Tuesday's edition of 'The Sun' and to be perfectly frank, he's another one who should think before he opens his big mouth. I tell you, Gough must have a soft spot for Edinburgh right enough. Six years ago, he was going easy on 7 men Hearts on the park (Thereby cheating the Rangers support) now six years down the line he's equally as soft on the thugs from Leith off it.

His partner in crime this midweek was another of those curious tame bluenose journalists who for the most part make you want to vomit. I refer this time of course to Mr Ian King. I'm not really going to waste too much time on King, save for the following. Ian, the Rangers support is changing. Oh, for the most part we're slow to get angry. But take my word for it, the rank and file are becoming steadily more disillusioned with each and every passing day with people like yourself and the Johnstones and the Hateleys etc, etc.

Hell, we're not even looking for imbalance in our favour. Just a fair crack of the whip. How any journalist, who was at the game at Ibrox last Sunday, could allow their match reports to suggest that Hibs were robbed? Not only does it defy belief, it also calls into question their supposed journalistic integrity.

Last point about last Sunday's game. As for the Hivees, wanting to pay Mr Blobby's fine? Well, Fredo was safer going out on a boat with Michael when Ma died in 'The Godfather', than he'll be putting his trust in this shower. I still remember the Hibs controller telling his charges a couple of years ago that FF should be shut down. A couple of weeks later and he's on our message boards trying to drum up a wee bit of support for something or other to do with land in Edinburgh and how it would affect Hibs? Don't call us Stuart, we'll call you.

Not that I can let last Sunday go altogether without mentioning the sickening sight of that republican reptile, Jack McConnell laying a wreath at a Remembrance Service in Glasgow. Why is it, that The Royal British Legion cannot just ban enemies of our country like McConnell and the ex-thief from these occasions?

But I digress. The behaviour of the Kings and the McInnes' of this world is in sharp contrast to the way the yahoo never fails to miss an opportunity to get across their lies and propaganda. For example, contrast the difference between Elaine-C-Differ and the pathetic Jonathon Watson in Wednesday's sporting slot in the Evenin¹ Tims. Whilst Watson is quite happy to get ripped into Bazza, the reptile never misses a trick to get a dig in at Rangers.

Elaine-C-in-drag had this to say the other day about Peter Lovenkrands; "Rangers especially have a tradition of lightweight speed and bottle merchants who spend their careers on their bums claiming for fouls and Peter is just the latest in a long line."

I'll be generous here to the reptile and say he's in his late 40s. So in his lifetime the Rangers wingers he would have witnessed most often, would have been Alex Scott, Davie Wilson, Willie Henderson, Willie Johnston, Tommy McLean, Davie Cooper, Mark Walters and Brian Laudrup. The lot of them put together couldn't compete with Larsson and Sutton when it comes to trying to con the ref. But hey, what else do we really expect from the not normals?

Which not normal behaviour brings us back to how the yahoos like to portray themselves, especially at this time of the year. I give you, The Celtic Book of War Heroes. Let's see now, it includes a guy who never signed for them and instead played in a bounce match, three years before the war started. It also includes a Welsh goalkeeper who played for them on loan, one time in 1910. I tell you, even The Italian Army' are sniggering at the concept of this book.

Back in the real world, I cannot say I'm too happy at the thought of this proposed new Ibrox Museum. Not while the present custodian of the club and his toadies will be entrusted with its care at any rate. Explain how this one works again. You allow a filthy, degenerate, drunken sot to spread deliberate lies about the young men who formed our club. But you're going to charge us a tenner a head to look back at our history? Nah, I don't think so Mr Murray. Count me out of this one.

According to the news this week, old West Bromwich Albion favourite, Jeff Astle, died because of repeated blows to the head, with the old type ball that was used in the 50s and 60s. Truth be told, we've already seen high profile evidence here in Scotland that heading the those type of balls over a lengthy football career DOES cause permanent brain damage. Well how else can we account for the fact that Billy McNeill is quoted in an IRA fanzine as saying that; 'Celtic are an Irish club who just happen to play their football in Scotland'? Of course if this outburst is really only a case of pandering to Irish republican bigots, I'm pretty sure that our fair and impartial press will make sure they don't shirk the issue?

So it is the Northern Shites again this weekend. I don't suppose it is worth mentioning their performances over the last few weeks. We just know that these professionally challenged footballers will be giving it their all and then some.

Me? I'll be happy with the three points. But I'll be very, surprised if we're not talking all next week about the assaults on the Rangers players. With Ricksen, Arteta and Lovenkrands in particular coming in for some special attention. Pleasantly surprised indeed.

Just do it Rangers,

THE GOVANHILL GUB