It is difficult to know where to
start here. It has been a long-established fact that central/west Scotland has
had endemic social problems relating to religious prejudice, particularly
between the two Christian sects of Catholicism and Protestantism, which has had
an intertwining relationship into Scottish football; represented by the 2
contrasting cultures of the Old Firm clubs, Rangers and Celtic. Sectarianism
(both clubs), terrorist glorification (Celtic) and bigotry (both clubs) have
blighted these two  for a long time – and
while both clubs have made moves to stamp them out (Rangers more than Celtic
truth be told) they remain intrinsic to the fabric of football in this region
of the world.

However, the truth about the ill
nature of the mind of Scottish football has truly emerged in 2012 following
Rangers’ descent into administration and subsequent re-entry to the SFL Third
Division. From the aforementioned western Scottish problems, it seems the
entire nation has caught whatever disease afflicted that portion of the
country, and while religious bigotry and sectarianism may not have spread, they
appear to have mutated into pure jealousy, hate and unbridled victimisation of
one club. As if Scottish football is now solely blaming one institution for all
the social problems Scottish football (and society) has endured down the line.
And as such every organisation, club, and authority not to mention the majority
of supporters seem to have officially come to the unwavering conclusion that
Rangers are the bad guys and worthy of every punishment they can think of.

The truth is even the complete
death of the Ibrox club (which will never happen) would not be enough because
Scottish football would still retrospectively blame the club for every problem
it suffers.

Without naming him, a certain
English ‘journalist’ (and I use that term loosely) has joined the lynch mob,
from initially ‘investigating’ the financial mismanagement of the club to
currently throwing round accusations smearing the club’s supporters left, right
and centre. Add to that his insults relating to the Ibrox Disaster and it is
clear that not only Scottish football is ill. I refuse to give the man the
name-drop his attention-seeking would crave, but any reader of this blog will
know who I refer to.

But it is bizarre that instead of
choosing to ‘side’ with the sensible UK-wide and global view which has been
generally very sympathetic towards Rangers and the club’s supporters, this man
has chosen to veer towards the mentally unstable Scottish view which would have
Rangers hung, drawn, quartered then minced.

Has the poisoned mind of Scottish
football begun to influence the weak? The journalist in question is certainly
incredibly patronising and arrogant, but that does not make him strong. And he
appears to have an explicit agenda against Rangers, smearing the deaths of
dozens of fallen fans, creating fabricated accounts of threats of violence
against shop assistants (without ever naming either the branch or assistant)
and referring to a Rangers ‘criminal underclass’.

No one would ever pretend all
Rangers fans are angels. Like any support there is a problem element. But the
way this man has tarred every supporter with such an insulting brush (while
trying to contrive a ‘sympathetic’ notion that it is only a small number of
fans and the majority are loyal good supporters in order to appease) is quite
disquieting.

Graham Spiers seems almost
angelic in comparison.

Add to that foolish tweets from
STV News reporters implying all Rangers supporters are racists and it is clear
to see that from the moment Rangers went into administration in came foolish
generalisations and ignorant comments and out went common sense.

It has become en-vogue to tarnish
Rangers in Scotland.
It is a bit of a shame, also, to see formerly sensible journalists turn into
tabloid hacks, desperate to make a name for themselves.

Just as well Rangers and its fans
are not a punchbag.