I agree, still areWe still are Scottish and British.
We haven't changed.
It is others who have fallen off the rails.
http://travelblog.dailymail.co.uk/2...ism-tourism-can-do-wonders-for-democracy.html
By Frank Barrett, Travel Editor, The Mail on Sunday
In 1972 it has been suggested that it was supporters of Rangers Football Club who helped release dictator General Franco’s grip on power.
The defining moment was a confrontation with the local constabulary that became known as the Battle of Barcelona.
The pitched battle followed a ground invasion in the dying moments of the Glasgow club’s 3-2 win over Moscow Dynamo in the final of the European Cup Winners Cup competition.
In Franco’s fascist state the Spanish police were all-powerful, they ruled with a rod of iron.
Well they did until Rangers fans turned up and blithely stepped over them to rush the pitch.
The locals were not surprised that the police came back with a very heavy handed response – what amazed them was that anyone would dare to start fighting them in the first place.
Just as the night marchers in Leipzig signalled the start of the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, the Nou Camp riot showed the Spanish that they didn’t have to put with Franco.
By the time that Franco died three years later he had long been a busted flush.
http://travelblog.dailymail.co.uk/2...ism-tourism-can-do-wonders-for-democracy.html
The Man U fans ran from the Streford end to the Scoreboard end they were met with a deluge of bottles they tried to run but the Rangers from the 2 enclosures at the both sides ran onto the park and were behind the Mancs. The Rangers fans jumped onto the park at the Scoreboard End this left the Man U fans totally surrounded and the massacre then happened.
It was a German journalist. The late Glasgow Herald reporter Ian Archer told the story for years. The Scottish sports reporters were grouped together watching the battle as the Rangers supporters gradually got the Guardia Civil pinned behind the goal (that we had scored into in the first half) and surrounded them. Archer said at that point the German journalist ran over to the Scottish reporters in an excited state and shouted, "Do you realise that the Rangers supporters gave just enacted a classic pincer movement"?
I stood in the stands that night and watched it. It is a memory that will never leave me.
But surely there is another team in Glasgow who have a cherished relationship with the mighty Barcelona, and surely it is they who would have been the first British club to receive such an honour?
No, and to date still no invite.
Maybe the invite was lost in the post?
My Mrs and me were on a weekend breaking in Barcelona in 2004 and in a fish restaurant in Las Ramblas and got speaking to an old man (owner I think)in the place.He asked my Mrs where we were from and when we said Scotland and then Glasgow he smiled and said ah Glasgow Rangers.No free drink right enough.Was in a bar on Las Ramblas around 1979 wearing my Rangers top and the barman said Glasgow Rangers loco.
That cu*t lawwell probably has a word!I'll never forget it Jim.
Before the match started it was a totally carnival & humorous atmosphere. From where i
was sitting on the second tier you could see so many bears going onto the pitch getting
pictures taken, with even one guy lying along the goal line at the side Colin Stein scored
into as if he was Castlemilk's answer to Linda Lusardi.
That was before the match, so NO WONDER bears were expecting to get on the park to celebrate
if we won the match.
Why did that attitude of Franco's men change, because that's where the issue started.
My memories are that we were a little out of order but the Spanish police massively over reacted. I went on the East Rutherglen Supporters Bus (I remember Colin Jacksons Dad was on the bus).
We didn't just invade the pitch at the final whistle, we were on a couple of times before that irc.
Once the battle started at the end I recall it as per other posters. The police were out of order, I was on the second level and police came into the stand to attack us. I was set about by a big Spanish Copper and a couple of handy Bears stepped in to change the odds.
I left the ground drunk with no idea were to go and our bus (to who I had been a stranger 4 days before) passed by 20 yards from me, I didn't see them but they saw me and grabbed me up off the street.
The best bit was the following day when the locals in the village we were in came out to applaud us onto our bus as heroes
But surely there is another team in Glasgow who have a cherished relationship with the mighty Barcelona, and surely it is they who would have been the first British club to receive such an honour?
No, and to date still no invite.
Maybe the invite was lost in the post?
What was the first mate ?It was my 1st time flying when I went over to that game at 15 years of age. That flight , was the 2nd Best Sash Bash, I have ever experienced LOL.
The book idea gets my support- the reminisces of those who were there are great to hear. Can we get a thread for that specific purpose and someone with the experience of putting a book together could use these as part of the story and the sooner the better as loads of berrs will be well into their twilight years? My Uncle was over but passed away 15 years ago- wished I had got all his recollections of Barca 72. A book for the 50 th anniversary is a must.
It's ironic the way the Celtic blogisphere always react to this, supporting the armed thugs of a fascist state against visitors from a democratic state. They forget that the Celtic fans did exactly the same thing in Lisbon, they invaded the pitch to celebrate their team's victory, the difference being that the police in the Portuguese semi-fascist state chose not to try to batter them off the park.
As has been mentioned a number of times pitch invasions were common at the time. Possibly wrong, but common never the less. Probably the best example from that very same year would be West Germany winning the European Championship in Brussels. With the game nearing its end there are literally thousands ringing the pitch waiting for the whistle.
After the match, the Police were everywhere, they were checking hotels and setting about fans who were in small groups. Some fans were ejected from their digs, they were obviously crest fallen due to what happened in the stadium and wanted to give out retribution, in fact they still do to this day.
Yip we made it back to Castledefells with Rutherglen East and basically were placed in lockdown.It was pretty scary outside the ground after the match tbh. As Jimbear said, it was just a matter
of getting on a bus for the resort you were staying, whether you came in that actual bus or not.
We got on a bus to Lloret, that's all that mattered, as they were attacking lone bears by this
point.
Did he though?Archie MacPherson is the only Scottish hack I've ever read that backed the Rangers support that night.
Or maybe they still need to have a vote on it?But surely there is another team in Glasgow who have a cherished relationship with the mighty Barcelona, and surely it is they who would have been the first British club to receive such an honour?
No, and to date still no invite.
Maybe the invite was lost in the post?
Only years later - not at the timeDid he though?
Now I'll freely that I like Archie and am big fan of his writings but I can't remember him backing us in the aftermath.
Indeed, I had intended posting similar, I believe this tournament still runs pre season.
If memory serves me correctly there was a couple of mini invasions prior to the big one at the end.I think the Spanish polis saw this as a challenge to their authority and clearly not used to that being challenged.I'll never forget it Jim.
Before the match started it was a totally carnival & humorous atmosphere. From where i
was sitting on the second tier you could see so many bears going onto the pitch getting
pictures taken, with even one guy lying along the goal line at the side Colin Stein scored
into as if he was Castlemilk's answer to Linda Lusardi.
That was before the match, so NO WONDER bears were expecting to get on the park to celebrate
if we won the match.
Why did that attitude of Franco's men change, because that's where the issue started.
If memory serves me correctly there was a couple of mini invasions prior to the big one at the end.I think the Spanish polis saw this as a challenge to their authority and clearly not used to that being challenged.
One other thing pitch invasions in the UK were not uncommon back then and I think the Bears would have been surprised by the heavy handed reaction of the Spanish police.
Yes,Tim's did and Scotland fans in 67 and 77at Wembley,I was at the 77 one and a cop actually helped me off the terrace on to the pitch.There was no malice and I went home with some turf.Yes MG, I definitely remember the one with about two minutes to go anyway.
As you say it wasn’t unusual back then, and I was told that the Tim’s in Lisbon invaded the park.
So the reaction in that context was way OTT by Francos men.
Despite countless statements from Bears who were actually there in Barcelona that night and faced the brutality of Franco's armed henchmen, the Scottish media down the decades has predictably tried to twist and distort that glorious time as another big, bad Rangers tale. That Rangers were personally invited back to the same stadium just 2 years later by Barcelona is never mentioned by the warped scum posing as an impartial media in this country.
Yes,Tim's did and Scotland fans in 67 and 77at Wembley,I was at the 77 one and a cop actually helped me off the terrace on to the pitch.There was no malice and I went home with some turf.
Made a little cameo down the wing at Wembley in 77 as an 8 year old. Down the front with my brother and dad while my mother was in the second tier with other family. At full time my dad looked up to where my mother was sitting and she made it quite clear we were not allowed to go on the park. Dad was having none of it and onto the park we went. Can also remember walking out of Wembley and the guy in front of us had a section of the crossbar over his shoulder. Copper simply looked at him and shook his head, poor guy had to leave it behind! On the tube back into London a pregnant woman got on the train and I stood up to give her my seat. Older chap rewarded me by opening a plastic bag and giving me a little bit of the turf he had availed for himself. Happy days supporting Scotland back then. Pity about now.Forgot about Wembley. Yes, there must have been 15-20k on the park ?
Made a little cameo down the wing at Wembley in 77 as an 8 year old. Down the front with my brother and dad while my mother was in the second tier with other family. At full time my dad looked up to where my mother was sitting and she made it quite clear we were not allowed to go on the park. Dad was having none of it and onto the park we went. Can also remember walking out of Wembley and the guy in front of us had a section of the crossbar over his shoulder. Copper simply looked at him and shook his head, poor guy had to leave it behind! On the tube back into London a pregnant woman got on the train and I stood up to give her my seat. Older chap rewarded me by opening a plastic bag and giving me a little bit of the turf he had availed for himself. Happy days supporting Scotland back then. Pity about now.