And yet, even the wayward conduct of this shameless individual which brought Scotland's biggest sporting institution to it's very knees, is only part of the story. For the events at Rangers Football Club proved to be the catalyst for a nation to completely disgrace itself, to let it's mask slip and reveal its true nature. That revealed nature is neither edifying nor particularly wholesome, and is very much in contrast to a nation which boasts “One Scotland many cultures”
Before we continue further its worthy of noting the comments of someone who is not only outside Rangers Football, but during his professional sporting career as both player and manager has been in direct opposition to Rangers – Celtic and Scotland Legend Davie Hay.
" Although the SPL decision not to admit Rangers is apparently fan driven, I do wonder about what type of fan we are talking about ?
Are these the vocal minorities who man their computers or the majority represented by fans' association's ?
What I would say is that the level of retribution being sought on Rangers is not good for the Scottish game and, I believe, beyond reason.
The retribution of which he speaks manifested itself with a concerted effort by supporters of other SPL clubs to ensure that any application by Rangers for re-entry to the SPL was doomed to failure. They threatened their own chairmen with warnings of boycotts, and despite the financial abyss that such action would create, they continued to intimidate and scheme until their respective chairmen acquiesced to their threats. This despite several warnings from independent financial projections they themselves had commissioned , in addition to ominous warnings from their own chairmen of financial meltdown. Perhaps the greatest manifestation of their unbridled and irrational hatred came in a Daily Record Poll which showed that more than half (55%) would rather see their own club die than allow Rangers back into the SPL.
History demonstrates that if you seek to demonise a people you need both propaganda and a favourable press. Alas for Scotland both these ingredients were present in abundance.
“Sporting Integrity” became the flagship of the propaganda campaign. It was the stick which was used repeatedly to beat Rangers time and time and time again. It sought to give a moral platform to those who saw an opportunity to unleash their festering and unhealthy hatred of Rangers. It was a campaign which our media bought into it wholeheartedly. Their was a distinct absence of objective journalism, save two or three amongst the hordes who, forlornly, tried to stemmed the rising tide of hatred. When articles describe such a stampede of hatred as a “rising up of democracy” and liken your club to something you would take great joy in punching repeatedly in the face so much that your hand hurt, then you know that there is little hope of impartial journalism, or presentation of the facts.
But the shame of Scotland continued.
Those charged with governance of our game landed the fatal blow for the flagship propaganda banner of “Sporting Integrity”. But not in some honourable way asking for reasonable and rational debate, instead their desire to punish Rangers had to be balanced against a financial dependence upon them. If Rangers were the cash cow then as much as they hated her they needed her to feed them.
What then followed should shame any right thinking individual. A complete abdication of responsibility by the SPL chairmen was followed up by a campaign of bullying, threats lies and intimidation against those to whom the buck was passed. Public statements by nearly every SFL chairmen, presenting a whole litany of a serious allegations against those who govern our game seemed to have made no difference whatsoever.
Those who govern our game have been called unfit for purpose by those whom they govern and yet those responsible remain in post.
And what of our government ? A government so apparently concerned by the need for clemency that they released Scotland's worst ever mass murderer upon his diagnosis with cancer.
Not a word.
Whilst Westminster launches an enquiry into the Scottish Football crisis and hears evidence that the SFA's rules are unfit for purpose those Scottish politicians are silent.
While courts of this land are telling the world that the SFA's punishment of Rangers is “unlawful” our politicians remain silent.
Perhaps with the forthcoming independence vote, many Rangers supporters, who are of course voting, will have had a glimpse of what is in store for our club and it's support should independence be achieved at the ballot box.
History will show that Craig Whyte shamed Rangers Football Club.
But Scotland as a nation disgraced itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment