I moved up to Glasgow from Manchester (where I supported FC United of
Manchester and Manchester United) two years ago. I have generally
supported Celtic rather than Rangers of the two main Glasgow clubs.
However, I decided at the start of this season to support Rangers
rather than Celtic for a change, to be anti-sectarian, except when
they play Hibs (as the historically Catholic team in Edinburgh),
Aberdeen (as my long-term favourite Scottish club), Inverness
Caledonian Thistle (as a new club with a great name from a beautiful
place) or a lower-league club in one of the cups. I like Ally McCoist
and thought that Celtic continuing to win the SPL was getting a bit
boring. Also, former fascist home secretary John Reid becoming Celtic
chairman put me off continuing to support Celtic.

I have generally found that Celtic supporters are more left-wing than
Rangers supporters. Perhaps this is because Catholicism is more of a
collectivist religion than Protestantism, as well as the history of
Protestants oppressing Catholics in Northern Ireland. In one of the TV
reports of the hooliganism by Rangers "fans" last week, some of them
were chanting "UVF" (one of the loyalist paramilitary groups).

I suppose I've realised that Celtic winning the league tonight (which
they will do if they do at least as well as Rangers bar Rangers
scoring a hatful of goals) would be better for politics in Glasgow
(particularly), just as Man Utd beating Chelsea last night was great
for politics in England and the whole world (see my message "Football
fate, Gaia theory and socialism"). [And with Rangers playing Aberdeen,
I'd be torn anyway!]

So, come on Celtic! Better dash, since I want to see the match...

--
Steve Wallis (Glasgow, Scotland)
For important/urgent communications, please email:
warcrysteve@yahoo.co.uk
Blogs: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/steve-wallis-socialist-blog,
http://blog.myspace.com/galaxiasteve

My socialist website: http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk
My socialist musical poetry: http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk/poetry.htm
(and at my MySpace and Multiply pages)
My pages at MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/galaxiasteve, Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=731729407 and Multiply:
http://socialiststeve.multiply.com

Founder, Good Intentions Network: http://www.goodintentionsnetwork.org
Founder, Ethical Capitalism Network: http://www.ethicalcapitalism.net
Founder, Foundation for PR-based Socialism: http://www.PRsocialism.org
Founder, Revolutionary Platform Network: http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net

My socialist band, Red Day: http://www.red-day.net
Author, "Revolution Destroyed? Have I ensured that a world socialist
revolution will never happen?": http://www.revolutiondestroyed.net

For discussion of the credit crunch, go to
http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net/forum/index.php?board=156

Steve Wallis  wrote in 
news:86eb9a1f-16c7-41c1-95b1-8b7d7eeb8969@f63g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

> I have generally found that Celtic supporters are more left-wing than
> Rangers supporters. Perhaps this is because Catholicism is more of a
> collectivist religion than Protestantism, as well as the history of
> Protestants oppressing Catholics in Northern Ireland. In one of the TV
> reports of the hooliganism by Rangers "fans" last week, some of them
> were chanting "UVF" (one of the loyalist paramilitary groups).
> 

I work in central Manchester and can confirm that Rangers fans were 
definately singing UVF songs outside my office block as early as 9 in the 
morning last Wednesday.

On 22 May, 19:32, Steve Wallis
 wrote:
> I moved up to Glasgow from Manchester (where I supported FC United of
> Manchester and Manchester United) two years ago. I have generally
> supported Celtic rather than Rangers of the two main Glasgow clubs.
> However, I decided at the start of this season to support Rangers
> rather than Celtic for a change, to be anti-sectarian, except when
> they play Hibs (as the historically Catholic team in Edinburgh),
> Aberdeen (as my long-term favourite Scottish club), Inverness
> Caledonian Thistle (as a new club with a great name from a beautiful
> place) or a lower-league club in one of the cups. I like Ally McCoist
> and thought that Celtic continuing to win the SPL was getting a bit
> boring. Also, former fascist home secretary John Reid becoming Celtic
> chairman put me off continuing to support Celtic.
>
> I have generally found that Celtic supporters are more left-wing than
> Rangers supporters. Perhaps this is because Catholicism is more of a
> collectivist religion than Protestantism, as well as the history of
> Protestants oppressing Catholics in Northern Ireland. In one of the TV
> reports of the hooliganism by Rangers "fans" last week, some of them
> were chanting "UVF" (one of the loyalist paramilitary groups).
>
> I suppose I've realised that Celtic winning the league tonight (which
> they will do if they do at least as well as Rangers bar Rangers
> scoring a hatful of goals) would be better for politics in Glasgow
> (particularly), just as Man Utd beating Chelsea last night was great
> for politics in England and the whole world (see my message "Football
> fate, Gaia theory and socialism"). [And with Rangers playing Aberdeen,
> I'd be torn anyway!]
>
> So, come on Celtic! Better dash, since I want to see the match...
>
> --
> Steve Wallis (Glasgow, Scotland)
> For important/urgent communications, please email:
> warcryst...@yahoo.co.uk
> Blogs:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/steve-wallis-socialist-blog,http://blog.myspace.com/galaxiasteve
>
> My socialist website:http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk
> My socialist musical poetry:http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk/poetry.htm
> (and at my MySpace and Multiply pages)
> My pages at MySpace:http://www.myspace.com/galaxiasteve, Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=731729407and Multiply:http://socialiststeve.multiply.com
>
> Founder, Good Intentions Network:http://www.goodintentionsnetwork.org
> Founder, Ethical Capitalism Network:http://www.ethicalcapitalism.net
> Founder, Foundation for PR-based Socialism:http://www.PRsocialism.org
> Founder, Revolutionary Platform Network:http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net
>
> My socialist band, Red Day:http://www.red-day.net
> Author, "Revolution Destroyed? Have I ensured that a world socialist
> revolution will never happen?":http://www.revolutiondestroyed.net
>
> For discussion of the credit crunch, go tohttp://www.revolutionaryplatform.net/forum/index.php?board=156

No competition mate. Celtic all the way for me. A great bunch of
supporters, an inclusive institution with attacking, attractive
football at it's core. And none of the bigotry, etc you'll see
elsewhere.

And we're about to win the league :)

"Steve Wallis"  wrote in message 
news:86eb9a1f-16c7-41c1-95b1-8b7d7eeb8969@f63g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>I moved up to Glasgow from Manchester (where I supported FC United of
> Manchester and Manchester United) two years ago. I have generally
> supported Celtic rather than Rangers of the two main Glasgow clubs.
> However, I decided at the start of this season to support Rangers
> rather than Celtic for a change, to be anti-sectarian, except when
> they play Hibs (as the historically Catholic team in Edinburgh),
> Aberdeen (as my long-term favourite Scottish club), Inverness
> Caledonian Thistle (as a new club with a great name from a beautiful
> place) or a lower-league club in one of the cups. I like Ally McCoist
> and thought that Celtic continuing to win the SPL was getting a bit
> boring. Also, former fascist home secretary John Reid becoming Celtic
> chairman put me off continuing to support Celtic.

So anti-sectarian means supporting a team, except when they play a club with 
Catholic ties?

> I have generally found that Celtic supporters are more left-wing than
> Rangers supporters. Perhaps this is because Catholicism is more of a
> collectivist religion than Protestantism, as well as the history of
> Protestants oppressing Catholics in Northern Ireland. In one of the TV
> reports of the hooliganism by Rangers "fans" last week, some of them
> were chanting "UVF" (one of the loyalist paramilitary groups).
>
> I suppose I've realised that Celtic winning the league tonight (which
> they will do if they do at least as well as Rangers bar Rangers
> scoring a hatful of goals) would be better for politics in Glasgow
> (particularly), just as Man Utd beating Chelsea last night was great
> for politics in England and the whole world (see my message "Football
> fate, Gaia theory and socialism"). [And with Rangers playing Aberdeen,
> I'd be torn anyway!]

Again, letting "politics" dictate which team you lend your support to. The 
irony here is astounding!

>
> So, come on Celtic! Better dash, since I want to see the match...
>
> --
> Steve Wallis (Glasgow, Scotland)
> For important/urgent communications, please email:
> warcrysteve@yahoo.co.uk
> Blogs: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/steve-wallis-socialist-blog,
> http://blog.myspace.com/galaxiasteve
>
> My socialist website: http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk
> My socialist musical poetry: http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk/poetry.htm
> (and at my MySpace and Multiply pages)
> My pages at MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/galaxiasteve, Facebook:
> http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=731729407 and Multiply:
> http://socialiststeve.multiply.com
>
> Founder, Good Intentions Network: http://www.goodintentionsnetwork.org
> Founder, Ethical Capitalism Network: http://www.ethicalcapitalism.net
> Founder, Foundation for PR-based Socialism: http://www.PRsocialism.org
> Founder, Revolutionary Platform Network: 
> http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net
>
> My socialist band, Red Day: http://www.red-day.net
> Author, "Revolution Destroyed? Have I ensured that a world socialist
> revolution will never happen?": http://www.revolutiondestroyed.net
>
> For discussion of the credit crunch, go to
> http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net/forum/index.php?board=156

I'm sure you're better off at Celtic FC. Plenty of political minded "fans" 
to swap Che Guevara T-shirts with.

Steve Wallis wrote:
>
> So, come on Celtic! Better dash, since I want to see the match...
>

Go Red Celt!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNaFP9o2Xz4

DaveGHarriet@googlemail.com wrote:

> No competition mate. Celtic all the way for me. A great bunch of
> supporters, an inclusive institution with attacking, attractive
> football at it's core. And none of the bigotry, etc you'll see
> elsewhere.
> 
> And we're about to win the league :)

Don't you wish that Celtic had won a fair competition, instead of the 
Rangers players being dead on their feet for having played every couple 
of days over the last fortnight?

Who were you cheering on in the UEFA cup final? Despite being English I 
  was hoping Rangers would win, but I would have supported Celtic if 
they had been playing in place of Rangers.

"Steve Wallis"  wrote in message 
news:86eb9a1f-16c7-41c1-95b1-8b7d7eeb8969@f63g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>...............BIG SNIP

Who you support in football is a once in a lifetime decision, not a luxury 
to pick and choose at a whim. I always believed you get a map, draw a line 
to your nearest football club, in my case Manchester United, and support 
them for life.....until I discovered Manchester United fans from all over 
England, or the world, that are no less of a fan than I am (some are even 
more dedicated than native Mancs). So now I don't subscribe to the 'local 
only' theory, but I'm staying put on the point of only picking one team and 
staying with them for life. Politics and religion SHOULD have no place in 
football.....I say should because I can't stand them orange hun bastards, 
Rangers, especially since they helped deny my city its parade for the 
glorious red devils. ;)
-- 
Slitheen.
Manchester United - EPL Champions 2006/07, 2007/08 & Champions League 
Winners 2008.

Slitheen wrote:

> they helped deny my city its parade for the lucky red devils. ;)

We're supposedly trying to land the world cup, but we can't even manage 
a victory parade for Man Utd in a city which presumably would host some 
of the matches. You couldn't make it up!

Slitheen wrote:
> "Steve Wallis"  wrote in
> message
> news:86eb9a1f-16c7-41c1-95b1-8b7d7eeb8969@f63g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>> ...............BIG SNIP
>
> Who you support in football is a once in a lifetime decision, not a
> luxury to pick and choose at a whim. I always believed you get a map,
> draw a line to your nearest football club, in my case Manchester
> United, and support them for life.....until I discovered Manchester
> United fans from all over England, or the world, that are no less of
> a fan than I am (some are even more dedicated than native Mancs). So
> now I don't subscribe to the 'local only' theory, but I'm staying put
> on the point of only picking one team and staying with them for life.
> Politics and religion SHOULD have no place in football.....I say
> should because I can't stand them orange hun bastards, Rangers,
> especially since they helped deny my city its parade for the glorious
> red devils.

I'll be very surprised if there isn't some sort of parade organised. If a
team brings home the European Cup, it's a bloody outrage if they can't
parade it in their city!

Slitheen wrote:

Snip

> especially since they helped deny my city its parade for the 
> glorious red devils. ;)

No screens could go wrong with a live parade, and no angry fans 
disappointed at a result would be there (presumably). This was a chance 
to quickly make amends for the UEFA Cup final organisational problems 
and get a quick, easy win.

All Man Utd fans should withold their council tax in protest. It could 
be the first crisis Boris Johnson gets to deal with :o)

"Stephen O'Connell"  wrote in message 
news:PtEZj.25574$j7.469526@news.indigo.ie...
> Slitheen wrote:
>> "Steve Wallis"  wrote in
>> message
>> news:86eb9a1f-16c7-41c1-95b1-8b7d7eeb8969@f63g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>>> ...............BIG SNIP
>>
>> Who you support in football is a once in a lifetime decision, not a
>> luxury to pick and choose at a whim. I always believed you get a map,
>> draw a line to your nearest football club, in my case Manchester
>> United, and support them for life.....until I discovered Manchester
>> United fans from all over England, or the world, that are no less of
>> a fan than I am (some are even more dedicated than native Mancs). So
>> now I don't subscribe to the 'local only' theory, but I'm staying put
>> on the point of only picking one team and staying with them for life.
>> Politics and religion SHOULD have no place in football.....I say
>> should because I can't stand them orange hun bastards, Rangers,
>> especially since they helped deny my city its parade for the glorious
>> red devils.
>
> I'll be very surprised if there isn't some sort of parade organised. If a
> team brings home the European Cup, it's a bloody outrage if they can't
> parade it in their city!
They're planning to hold it later in the year, but that isn't the point.