Open letter to the club

Northampton_Loyalist

Northampton_Loyalist

Well-Known Member
YOU need to address this, you need to get ahead of it and you need to show some leadership.

We have supporters who are stuck in the past, we have others who are frustrated and we have all of us who are suffering a skewed and imbalanced level of reporting and sanction.

We have a sizeable number of supporters who will not stop the behaviour that is landing us in bother because they are well aware of the double standards that are at play and see themselves not as bigots, but as people taking a stand against the bigotry they face.

Through all of my time supporting the club, well over 30 years, we have not once had a sensible and adult discussion that involves the club and the support, a forum where you can tell us explicitly, in plain English, what is not acceptable (although I agree 100% if you point out that it should be bloody obvious to anyone with half a brain) and where the support can tell you explicitly what our issues are and the double standards we face.

If you want the singing to stop, you need to engage our support, you need to talk to us and you need to ask us a simple question: what can we do to help you. If you treat this as an 'us and them' situation, you will simply find people retreating further behind their lines, carrying on their behaviour, but if you ask them what needs to happen for them to stop, you might find a healthier relationship with the support and far better results. I think you will also be shocked at the answers you get.

We need you to work with us, not sit in your tower and try to dictate. It did not work for ANY previous board and it will not work for you. You need to work with us here, stand up for us far more than you do.
 
Northampton_Loyalist said:
YOU need to address this, you need to get ahead of it and you need to show some leadership.

We have supporters who are stuck in the past, we have others who are frustrated and we have all of us who are suffering a skewed and imbalanced level of reporting and sanction.

We have a sizeable number of supporters who will not stop the behaviour that is landing us in bother because they are well aware of the double standards that are at play and see themselves not as bigots, but as people taking a stand against the bigotry they face.

Through all of my time supporting the club, well over 30 years, we have not once had a sensible and adult discussion that involves the club and the support, a forum where you can tell us explicitly, in plain English, what is not acceptable (although I agree 100% if you point out that it should be bloody obvious to anyone with half a brain) and where the support can tell you explicitly what our issues are and the double standards we face.

If you want the singing to stop, you need to engage our support, you need to talk to us and you need to ask us a simple question: what can we do to help you. If you treat this as an 'us and them' situation, you will simply find people retreating further behind their lines, carrying on their behaviour, but if you ask them what needs to happen for them to stop, you might find a healthier relationship with the support and far better results. I think you will also be shocked at the answers you get.

We need you to work with us, not sit in your tower and try to dictate. It did not work for ANY previous board and it will not work for you. You need to work with us here, stand up for us far more than you do.
Click to expand...
Absolutely correct but the paucity of our leadership gives me no confidence. Robertson should be I’m front of a TV camera right now. He is worse than a man down. Absolutely useless.
 
The board need to come out and be very, very clear on the evidence that has come forward. The songs mentioned and the people responsible. Those people are then told never to come back to Ibrox - not just for Thursday. Just don't come back if you want to hurt the club.

The board need to be all over this and constant though. We need to be seen to be taking the correct action - whatever that is.

As for FARE. They need to be stomped all over. They need to be investigated to see where their involvement is coming from and what their agenda actually is. Also, needs to be made clear why they have such a loud voice within UEFA.

Our board need to get fucking angry and bloody vocal. This is with fans who want to hurt the club. With FARE for their one sided reporting and with UEFA for their instant action against us whilst being massively lenient on other offenders.
 
I wont be saying how i really feel about the cronyism that is in and around Ibrox now.. i would cop a lifetime ban from FF...
As for the post a few days ago asking if our support has hardened.. id say we have got weaker.. i sometimes dont recognize our support at times especially the online loyal
 
Has UEFA followed their own disciplinary proceedings as no one has seen the citation against the club and giving us a hearing date to listen to charges and mount a defence

It appears UEFA have just unilaterally found us guilty with no hearing and ordered a partial ground closure

Said before UEFA are not above the law but if Rangers just allow this then they are as usual not challenging UEFA

A good lawyer would show the “19th Century Terrorist Army” banner from 2 weeks ago and ask how can they be offended by a badge of honour that they are proud of
 
Necro said:
How on earth is the diversity campaign coupled with today's statement not showing leadership and letting the fans know their stance on this?
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Its too vague. Pleading for fans to behave is a total cop out.

Ive suggested many times on here that the club needs to start talking with club reps, SLO, Club 1872, UB etc and sort out the songbook. Simply pleading for a stop to it wont work. How many times do they need to be told?
 
Said it in another thread as well. Club needs to do more saying dont sing naughty song lyrics is not enough, making a wee video saying we are welcome to all is not enough.

I totally agree the fans are at fault for singing songs deemed offensive. This does not mean that the club are correct also and its not their fault either.

Also regarding others. If we want to be on a level playing field then wee need to act accordingly as fans and a club as well. Complain about everything and anything en mass to Uefa anything you find mildly offensive because that is exactly what happens to us.

We need to get our house in order that is pretty clear. We also need to address the clear agenda against the club or getting our house in order is pointless.
 
Necro said:
How on earth is the diversity campaign coupled with today's statement not showing leadership and letting the fans know their stance on this?
Click to expand...

Leadership is not releasing a statement saying 'gonae no dae that'.

Leadership is looking at a complex issue as, well, a complex issue and sitting down and discussing a way forward that people can buy into. How much of the diversity campaign did you know of before it's release? I knew nothing, and while it is great, it is simply a managerial exercise in releasing a mission statement to great fanfare without even scratching the surface of WHY things like this happen.

Even if morons are using the scum's behaviour as nothing more than an excuse for their own scum behaviour, it will not change while the issue is completely ignored by the club. They do not even pay lip service to the many and genuine complaints that we have. The do not even acknowledge the complaints in the first place and all we hear, time after time, is 'stop it'. Yes, it needs to stop, but the stupidest person on the face of the earth can see that this is not a simple matter that can just be dealt with summarily. it needs engagement and input from all sides and it needs to board to actually do something other than try to just dictate.
 
It’s extremely simple.

If a song references the Pope, or 19th Century Terrorists, or any combination of the two, don’t sing it.

If you have to even think for a moment “is this song sectarian” or “is this song going to get the club in trouble” then don’t sing it.

You do t need Stewart Robertson to tel you that. You know it already. Take responsibility for it.
 
The club should be taking leadership by banning fans who sing these songs. It's easy to identify them because there are thousands who do it. Start banning them for it and that will cut it out quickly. There's been mealy mouthed statements and daft initiatives for years and they haven't got through to these numbskulls.
 
Northampton_Loyalist said:
YOU need to address this, you need to get ahead of it and you need to show some leadership.

We have supporters who are stuck in the past, we have others who are frustrated and we have all of us who are suffering a skewed and imbalanced level of reporting and sanction.

We have a sizeable number of supporters who will not stop the behaviour that is landing us in bother because they are well aware of the double standards that are at play and see themselves not as bigots, but as people taking a stand against the bigotry they face.

Through all of my time supporting the club, well over 30 years, we have not once had a sensible and adult discussion that involves the club and the support, a forum where you can tell us explicitly, in plain English, what is not acceptable (although I agree 100% if you point out that it should be bloody obvious to anyone with half a brain) and where the support can tell you explicitly what our issues are and the double standards we face.

If you want the singing to stop, you need to engage our support, you need to talk to us and you need to ask us a simple question: what can we do to help you. If you treat this as an 'us and them' situation, you will simply find people retreating further behind their lines, carrying on their behaviour, but if you ask them what needs to happen for them to stop, you might find a healthier relationship with the support and far better results. I think you will also be shocked at the answers you get.

We need you to work with us, not sit in your tower and try to dictate. It did not work for ANY previous board and it will not work for you. You need to work with us here, stand up for us far more than you do.
Click to expand...
Good post mate
 
John Dalrymple said:
I wont be saying how i really feel about the cronyism that is in and around Ibrox now.. i would cop a lifetime ban from FF...
As for the post a few days ago asking if our support has hardened.. id say we have got weaker.. i sometimes dont recognize our support at times especially the online loyal
Click to expand...
Would singing songs even louder make us look hard?
 
Tugay83 said:
The club should be taking leadership by banning fans who sing these songs. It's easy to identify them because there are thousands who do it. Start banning them for it and that will cut it out quickly. There's been mealy mouthed statements and daft initiatives for years and they haven't got through to these numbskulls.
Click to expand...
I think club should approach individual fans first, gave them a warning and advise any repeat behaviour and it is season ticket revoked/ ban from Ibrox.
 
StirlingBear said:
Said it in another thread as well. Club needs to do more saying dont sing naughty song lyrics is not enough, making a wee video saying we are welcome to all is not enough.

I totally agree the fans are at fault for singing songs deemed offensive. This does not mean that the club are correct also and its not their fault either.

Also regarding others. If we want to be on a level playing field then wee need to act accordingly as fans and a club as well. Complain about everything and anything en mass to Uefa anything you find mildly offensive because that is exactly what happens to us.

We need to get our house in order that is pretty clear. We also need to address the clear agenda against the club or getting our house in order is pointless.
Click to expand...

Good post.
 
Northampton_Loyalist said:
And when the SPFL take this as a cue to order partial stadium closures too? Do you think for a second they would not love to do just that?
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Us and the filth have been hit with fines from UEFA in the past for songs and flags ( the filth with the flags). The Scottish fa will not come after us because if they did they’d need to go after Celtic as well and Aberdeen for that matter and maybe even hibs and Hearts. That’s not going to Happen.
 
devilman said:
The board need to come out and be very, very clear on the evidence that has come forward. The songs mentioned and the people responsible. Those people are then told never to come back to Ibrox - not just for Thursday. Just don't come back if you want to hurt the club.

The board need to be all over this and constant though. We need to be seen to be taking the correct action - whatever that is.

As for FARE. They need to be stomped all over. They need to be investigated to see where their involvement is coming from and what their agenda actually is. Also, needs to be made clear why they have such a loud voice within UEFA.

Our board need to get fucking angry and bloody vocal. This is with fans who want to hurt the club. With FARE for their one sided reporting and with UEFA for their instant action against us whilst being massively lenient on other offenders.
Click to expand...
I emailed this FARE crowd last year asking for a breakdown of games that they had attended. No surprise they never replied.
Another link in the chain that our enemies are trying to choke us with.
We all have different views on certain songs and I agree some are for clubs and pubs but we must unite in recognition of the fact that they are out to get us.
The board need to make a statement to that fact.
 
I’m sorry but people need to waken up and realise that the single most effective way for supporters to engage with the club and stop singing certain songs or add-ons is if the club actually grows a set of bollocks and starts standing up for itself and the fans.

Yes, certain songs or words are outlawed and everyone knows this but we are being singled out and punished unfairly. The support knows this.

People are kidding themselves if they think that our problems will end after a few songs stop. These bast@rds will keep going for more. Banning the billy boys didn’t stop them coming for more and they won’t stop now.

People need to stop deluding themselves and actually start getting real.
 
Tugay83 said:
The club should be taking leadership by banning fans who sing these songs. It's easy to identify them because there are thousands who do it. Start banning them for it and that will cut it out quickly. There's been mealy mouthed statements and daft initiatives for years and they haven't got through to these numbskulls.
Click to expand...

Can you give me a list of ALL the songs Im not allowed to sing? Im a bit of a numbskull.
 
Sutton_Blows_goats said:
as long as singing songs provokes a harsher punishment than physically attacking players the hard of thinking will see themselves as justified in their actions.
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Sadly that’s all to common in the wider world outside football also. You are more likely to get off with assaulting a stranger on the street than if your caught by the police singing or saying something offensive. Post an offensive joke on social media and you will almost certainly be charged. I don’t agree with it, I hate the modern hunk generation that are offended by everything. That said I’m clever enough to know to keep offensive jokes in the company of friends. I just wish our fans would know to keep their songs to their locals or support busses and stop the singing at the games.

If the people on here who say they won’t be told what they can sing really want to make a stand, can I suggest they go down to their local police station, sing TBB there and take out their protest with the authorities? That way the club and the rest of our fans are not put out.
 
Southsideblueblood said:
Absolutely correct but the paucity of our leadership gives me no confidence. Robertson should be I’m front of a TV camera right now. He is worse than a man down. Absolutely useless.
Click to expand...


Ffs mate, Robertson is an employee of the club and will be guided by the board as to when (if it's him or someone higher) a statement will be made.

This isn't Robertson's fault, unless of course he was caught on camera singing the BBs or 50p flute song.

The blame firmly lies with the supporters.
 
Big Buff said:
It’s extremely simple.

If a song references the Pope, or 19th Century Terrorists, or any combination of the two, don’t sing it.

If you have to even think for a moment “is this song sectarian” or “is this song going to get the club in trouble” then don’t sing it.

You do t need Stewart Robertson to tel you that. You know it already. Take responsibility for it.
Click to expand...


That's fine and well, are you telling me that 50,000 belting out the BB or super Rangers don't know this?

Does telling fans to stop singing work?

would you say our club have done enough to combat this and its just a case of waiting until it eventually stops?

When we eventually get our house in order do you think FARE will stop reporting us?
 
ThePRODigalSon said:
I emailed this FARE crowd last year asking for a breakdown of games that they had attended. No surprise they never replied.
Another link in the chain that our enemies are trying to choke us with.
We all have different views on certain songs and I agree some are for clubs and pubs but we must unite in recognition of the fact that they are out to get us.
The board need to make a statement to that fact.
Click to expand...

Indeed but somehow I cant see £300k plus pa Stewart Robertson rocking the boat.
 
Gramps1 said:
SPFL is next you can guarantee that
Click to expand...


How many times have us and the filth for that matter been fined by UEFA? A good few times and the sfa done SFA!. They won’t do a thing because if they did they’d have to do the same To the filth and the sheep etc not going to Happen.
 
Last edited:
Northampton_Loyalist said:
YOU need to address this, you need to get ahead of it and you need to show some leadership.

We have supporters who are stuck in the past, we have others who are frustrated and we have all of us who are suffering a skewed and imbalanced level of reporting and sanction.

We have a sizeable number of supporters who will not stop the behaviour that is landing us in bother because they are well aware of the double standards that are at play and see themselves not as bigots, but as people taking a stand against the bigotry they face.

Through all of my time supporting the club, well over 30 years, we have not once had a sensible and adult discussion that involves the club and the support, a forum where you can tell us explicitly, in plain English, what is not acceptable (although I agree 100% if you point out that it should be bloody obvious to anyone with half a brain) and where the support can tell you explicitly what our issues are and the double standards we face.

If you want the singing to stop, you need to engage our support, you need to talk to us and you need to ask us a simple question: what can we do to help you. If you treat this as an 'us and them' situation, you will simply find people retreating further behind their lines, carrying on their behaviour, but if you ask them what needs to happen for them to stop, you might find a healthier relationship with the support and far better results. I think you will also be shocked at the answers you get.

We need you to work with us, not sit in your tower and try to dictate. It did not work for ANY previous board and it will not work for you. You need to work with us here, stand up for us far more than you do.
Click to expand...
Or the morons in our support can stop embarrassing the club. How about that. Most decent people manage to go to football and not sing or say crap the things that wreck our reputation.
 
Div1872 said:
A good lawyer would show the “19th Century Terrorist Army” banner from 2 weeks ago and ask how can they be offended by a badge of honour that they are proud of
Click to expand...

Not really relevant mate

People of colour refer to themselves as ...............well, you know the word. Yet referring to them as that word is still racist.

Same issue with Spurs referring to themselves as the Yid Army, but if you call them Yids in a derogatory fashion you are in bother.
 
Superrangers said:
I’m sorry but people need to waken up and realise that the single most effective way for supporters to engage with the club and stop singing certain songs or add-ons is if the club actually grows a set of bollocks and starts standing up for itself and the fans.

Yes, certain songs or words are outlawed and everyone knows this but we are being singled out and punished unfairly. The support knows this.

People are kidding themselves if they think that our problems will end after a few songs stop. These bast@rds will keep going for more. Banning the billy boys didn’t stop them coming for more and they won’t stop now.

People need to stop deluding themselves and actually start getting real.
Click to expand...

Ah want some lady's front bottom at the club to come out now and slaughter that FARE mob it’s a fucking joke tbh.
 
StirlingBear said:
That's fine and well, are you telling me that 50,000 belting out the BB or super Rangers don't know this?

Does telling fans to stop singing work?

would you say our club have done enough to combat this and its just a case of waiting until it eventually stops?

When we eventually get our house in order do you think FARE will stop reporting us?
Click to expand...
We dropped the Billy Boys from the songbook before, we can do it again. Because we weren’t in Europe for years, it was wrongly allowed to creep back in again and become acceptable.

The Club have done enough so far, and if it persists they will act further by refusing away tickets and issuing life bans for supporters. That’s the position fans are putting the Club in, its up to us whether we want that. We know the inevitable consequences.

If we don’t sing bigoted songs, FARE can report as much as they like, it won’t do anything. They can’t touch us.

Ultimately, this comes down to how much you love Rangers.
 
Agree there is a need for an adult and open discussion on the issue and I agree with a lot of what is said but this part..

"We have a sizeable number of supporters who will not stop the behaviour that is landing us in bother because they are well aware of the double standards that are at play and see themselves not as bigots "

I agree there are double standards but I disagree that they even think along those lines.

They indulge in this behaviour because they see nothing wrong with it. They travel to games with a few drinks in them, shout, sing, swear in a way that disgraces the club and they don't care one bit what other people get away with. They are a bitter, hateful little pack who use our club and our ground to indulge their hatred.

This needs to be recognised because every they wont take part in open and adult discussions. They will wait until they can hide in the subway, amongst crowds marching to games and of course when Rangers get an important goal they will use the crowds excitement to get the old songs sung.

So we can all have our sensible discussions but until we realise that the people we need to deal with don't actually care then we will never get a lasting solution.
 
MearnsUnionist said:
Ffs mate, Robertson is an employee of the club and will be guided by the board as to when (if it's him or someone higher) a statement will be made.

This isn't Robertson's fault, unless of course he was caught on camera singing the BBs or 50p flute song.

The blame firmly lies with the supporters.
Click to expand...

Dont agree. The club were warned years ago that something needed done. Simply pleading with fans was not the answer then and it still isnt now.

Robertson gets paid a handsome some and Id expect someone on his salary to do more than smile on camera as he tries to avoid taking responsibility for problems at Ibrox.
 
ecossebear said:
Sadly that’s all to common in the wider world outside football also. You are more likely to get off with assaulting a stranger on the street than if your caught by the police singing or saying something offensive. Post an offensive joke on social media and you will almost certainly be charged. I don’t agree with it, I hate the modern hunk generation that are offended by everything. That said I’m clever enough to know to keep offensive jokes in the company of friends. I just wish our fans would know to keep their songs to their locals or support busses and stop the singing at the games.

If the people on here who say they won’t be told what they can sing really want to make a stand, can I suggest they go down to their local police station, sing TBB there and take out their protest with the authorities? That way the club and the rest of our fans are not put out.
Click to expand...
I'm in complete agreement with you mate, I just cannot fathom how the authorities weight singing songs as a far more serious offence than physical violence. It defies belief.
 
The stand closure is about racism nothing else. If anyone had checked the chargesheets against all clubs the punishment was the same for every club. The issue is race when did 19th Century Terrorists become a race. The answer is never. Someone has bundled our support in with neo nazis from Eastern Europe and punished as the same.
 
Gramps1 said:
Ah want some lady's front bottom at the club to come out now and slaughter that FARE mob it’s a fucking joke tbh.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. You never get anywhere if you can’t defend yourself. I find it utterly repugnant that we have fans advocating reporting fellow fans, yet they don’t want to tackle the elephant in the room. It’s positively Spiers-esque.
 
Big Buff said:
We dropped the Billy Boys from the songbook before, we can do it again. Because we weren’t in Europe for years, it was wrongly allowed to creep back in again and become acceptable.

The Club have done enough so far, and if it persists they will act further by refusing away tickets and issuing life bans for supporters. That’s the position fans are putting the Club in, its up to us whether we want that. We know the inevitable consequences.

If we don’t sing bigoted songs, FARE can report as much as they like, it won’t do anything. They can’t touch us.

Ultimately, this comes down to how much you love Rangers.
Click to expand...

Seeing as how you brought it up can you list ALL the bigoted songs?

I'll give you a head start. FF mentions Dublin so that makes it unacceptable. Ask Gerry McNee.
 
georgedoors said:
The stand closure is about racism nothing else. If anyone had checked the chargesheets against all clubs the punishment was the same for every club. The issue is race when did 19th Century Terrorists become a race. The answer is never. Someone has bundled our support in with neo nazis from Eastern Europe and punished as the same.
Click to expand...

You are of course correct but dont expect anyone inside Ibrox to speak up.
 
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