Qualifying Graeme's Piece on Celtic Not Qualifying

I'd like to make it clear that this post in no way criticises what Graeme wrote yesterday - if anything it takes things on a step further. Anyway, he's a big boy and can deal with most things thrown his way (unless it's coated in peanuts). I think I might be in trouble for that one.

I feel I have borne the brunt of a lot of abuse of Scottish football through my life having lived in England. If things go wrong for us in any way, I have to hear about it in gloating tones and remain gracious, taking things in good humour. Of course, moments like the Germany match make up for this problem! However, I will say that the ribbings I receive are not down to the failings of the Old Firm in Europe - more down to the lack of quality, if not effort, of our national side. It should be the case that our two biggest clubs feed directly into the national side. This ideal is not as prevalent as it should be because neither side stands for Scotland or the national team. Rangers fans are more obsessed with Orange marches, the Queen and the United Kingdom, a union which many Scots have been trying to get out of for 350 years. Celtic are more interested in the Pope and Ireland, remaining touchy about a famine which affected roughly none of them.

Here's a solution - and a message to the fans of both clubs - just watch the football lads. Put your petty sectarian differences to one side and focus on building two clubs that represent the country in which you play. Who cares what the others believe? That is, if they even do believe it and are not simply looking for a reason for a square go.

My argument is this - ordinary non-Old Firm supporting Scottish football fans should feel no disgrace in the Old Firm's failings, because the Old Firm and their fans have no interest in representing us. This to me is not a spirit indicative of Scottish football, which for the most part is friendly, full of witty self-deprecation or gallows humour and focused on the actual play, not some archaic religious symbolism. The Scottish Football League starts on Saturday. Graeme and I both have season tickets for the small club we have followed since we were tiny. We will follow them, win, lose or draw. We may moan, we may even come to blows, we may encounter a stupid opposition ned who fancies a scrap but we will be there purely for the love of the team and of the Scottish game.

THAT is what represents true Scottish football
RM