CELTIC FAN PROTESTS CONTINUE, RANGERS TANTRUMS FALL ON DEAF EARS
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- Sep 21
- 3 min read
You can learn a lot about a person or indeed a group of people by how they respond to challenging circumstances.
Some of us seize the moment as an opportunity to drive real, meaningful progress towards a better outcome.
Others, unable or unwilling to put in the thought, self-reflection, time or the effort needed to accomplish such actions; well, they usually just throw a tantrum and think that if they scream loud enough, for long enough, they’ll get what they want.
We’ve seen this play out in real time over the past few days with the conflicting nature and vastly different outcomes of the protests from both Celtic and Rangers fans this past week.
Latest Wave of Celtic Fan Protests Planned for Firhill, Rangers Fans' Impotent Rage Continues
Generally speaking, there always needs to be some form of anger, or discontent, to spark protests and drive them forward. However, that anger needs to be controlled and channeled correctly, to keep the masses on your side.
What we saw at Ibrox yesterday, in my opinion, barely even qualified as a protest. It was hatred, rage and tantrums. It sits in stark contrast to what The Celtic Fans Collective has accomplished so far, and what they seek to accomplish going forward.
Of course, the usual suspects, like Hugh Keevins on Radio Clyde yesterday, did their level best to try and throw both fan movements in the same convenient little box.
From day one, Celtic fans have been united and clear in our objectives. We want to see change in how the club is run. We want fans to be given respect. We want adequate communication, and we want to see the removal of certain individuals if they are unwilling or unable to make the changes necessary to how they conduct themselves.
“Sack the Board” may be a rallying call for this new initiative, but Celtic supporters are smart enough to know that this isn’t the likely outcome.
Now, contrast this with the latest goings on over at the Inland Revenue Arena. The Union Bears, the self-appointed arbitrators of all things “staunch”, decided to tell their fellow fans there was going to be a protest.
They didn’t ask for opinions, they didn’t seek consent, they decided there was going to be a collective swear-a-thon before kick-off yesterday, and that anyone who didn’t join in was “the enemy”.
Of course, this lack of planning, the arrogance of presuming to speak for the entirety of a fanbase, and of course their usual, uncontrolled, fascist approach meant that the protest was not well received at all.
Even other Rangers fans called it an embarrassment. Also, the level of foul and abusive language used throughout means I doubt they’ll get the media attention that they so desperately crave.
Such was the personal and vicious nature of the abuse directed at manager Russell Martin and CEO Patrick “Paddy Bhoy” Stewart, there’s no way either of them will be removed by the Rangers Board anytime soon.
As we are seeing in the US right now, it’s not a good look for business to kowtow to hate mobs. The Rangers board realize this, and having just got their feet in the door, they will not want to cede any ground to a bunch of totalitarian thugs like the Union Bears.
Meanwhile, we are noticing small, yet not insignificant changes at Celtic.
The policy on monetization of media content has been abandoned. They had the good sense to dial back the aggressive marketing of new merchandize. The Celtic Board still aren’t communicating with fans, or giving us the respect we deserve. So, the Celtic Fan Protests will continue.
Protest actions will, I expect, escalate. However, these actions will be considered carefully, discussed and agreed upon by the wider fan collective before any action is taken. They will never be reduced to the level of that moon-howling gaggle of morons we saw outside Ibrox yesterday.
That is why, in the end, the Celtic Support will achieve change, maybe not all the changes we want but things will get better.
Over at Ibrox, they can continue to scream into the void all they want, it will get them nowhere.
