David Weir in the Herald

[jambovambo]

Old Firm matches behind closed doors would kill the game in Scotland

 

The old fool :

 

... the "pride" fixture of Scottish football

... close down the league if OF derby has to go behind closed doors

... more interest down South now as result of recent OF games

... if police have to talk to players before OF game, it has to happen at all games

 

You really don't get it, do you?

 

Please don't darken the door of our home changing room ever.

 

Old fool.

 

"Weir: Old Firm matches behind closed doors would kill the game in Scotland

Published on 10 Mar 2011

 

MICHAEL GRANT chief football writer in eindhoven [email protected]

David Weir, the Rangers captain, claimed Scottish football would be nothing without the Old Firm rivalry as he defended the much-criticised Glasgow derby last night.

 

Weir said the Old Firm game was the ?pride? fixture of Scottish football and dismissed the fall-out over indiscipline at the most recent derby as nonsense.

Rangers? three red cards in that game, and a nose-to-nose row between Neil Lennon and Ally McCoist, provoked this week?s Edinburgh summit at which the two clubs were called to meet First Minister Alex Salmond and senior police figures.

A range of potential sanctions were discussed, but Weir ? speaking in Eindhoven ahead of tonight?s Europa League last 16 first-leg tie against PSV ? said even a punishment such as playing Old Firm games behind closed doors would be the death knell for the game in this country.

?It will never happen,? he said. ?It is the pride fixture of Scottish football. It has kept Scottish football going for years and you would be as well closing the door. You would be as well just closing the league down if that was the case.

?I think the whole furore that has grown up around it is nonsense; I really do. In my opinion there were no major incidents, nothing that merits politicians getting involved.

?Nobody is condoning that [street violence on Old Firm match days] but whether you can relate it to a game of football, where guys are out on the pitch trying to win a game, I?don?t know.

?There has to be a line drawn somewhere as to where the responsibility lies. Surely it has to lie with the people involved in the problems rather than the guys who are trying to win football matches?

?Everybody says it is ?Scotland?s shame? but I know by going down south that everybody is talking about it. Everybody is saying Scottish football is on its knees but there has been more interest in the last week than there has been in weeks. I think we have to be a bit more realistic and put things into perspective and move on a wee bit.?

Weir also sees no merit in the Rangers and Celtic players and management being given particular instructions to retain their discipline when the clubs next meet, in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final at Hampden a week on Sunday.

?If you do that for this game, then you are going to need to do it for every game. I don?t see how you can only single out one game, and watch what you have to do in one match and not the others.

?You have to be responsible for your actions on and off the field, whether you are a footballer or Joe Public. I don?t see why we should be reinforcing it before the cup final.?

"

[Hot since 86]

Seems to have worked really hard on destroying the great relationship he had with our football club! I never thought i would hate any of those players in the cup winning side but Davie talks some pish and i really hope this rumour bout him coming back is as a load of crap.

 

The sooner the OF are away from Scottish football the better

[Victorian]

arsehole.

[Mysterion]

You really don't get it, do you?

 

 

 

Fails to acknowledge that the majority of Scottish fitba fans don't go out and cause carnage after a local derby (or just any old game).

 

Not just his legs that are slow... looks like the brain is fecked too.

[Francis Albert]

Is this David Weir related to the David Weir who sat on top of a bus on 17th May 1998 with a slightly bemused grin on his face as he watched the throngs of people on the streets of Edinburgh welcoming home the Scottish Cup?

 

Scottish football is nothing without the OF, David?

[jambovambo]

It's the whole whitewash thing ... particularly from the Hun side of the street ... Wattie, Weir, that slimy loathsome toley Bain ... seriously ...

 

"out of proportion", "fuss about nothing" ...

 

No, it's not and actually, yes, whatever sadly small percentage of Scottish football fans who do not support the OF would Kevin-Keegan-love-it if you disappeared and left us to it.

[colinmaroon]

The last week in the (pond) life of the Uglies would have done Goebbels proud!!!

 

 

Message to the Old Firm -

 

 

Please get your coats on the way out!!!

[The Treasurer]

The saddest thing about this is that he is by no means alone in his belief that the world (well Scotland at least) revolves round the OF.

[grumpyespana]

Old Firm matches behind closed doors would kill the game in Scotland

 

The old fool :

 

... the "pride" fixture of Scottish football

... close down the league if OF derby has to go behind closed doors

... more interest down South now as result of recent OF games

... if police have to talk to players before OF game, it has to happen at all games

 

You really don't get it, do you?

 

Please don't darken the door of our home changing room ever.

 

Old fool.

 

"Weir: Old Firm matches behind closed doors would kill the game in Scotland

Published on 10 Mar 2011

 

MICHAEL GRANT chief football writer in eindhoven [email protected]

David Weir, the Rangers captain, claimed Scottish football would be nothing without the Old Firm rivalry as he defended the much-criticised Glasgow derby last night.

 

Weir said the Old Firm game was the ?pride? fixture of Scottish football and dismissed the fall-out over indiscipline at the most recent derby as nonsense.

Rangers? three red cards in that game, and a nose-to-nose row between Neil Lennon and Ally McCoist, provoked this week?s Edinburgh summit at which the two clubs were called to meet First Minister Alex Salmond and senior police figures.

A range of potential sanctions were discussed, but Weir ? speaking in Eindhoven ahead of tonight?s Europa League last 16 first-leg tie against PSV ? said even a punishment such as playing Old Firm games behind closed doors would be the death knell for the game in this country.

?It will never happen,? he said. ?It is the pride fixture of Scottish football. It has kept Scottish football going for years and you would be as well closing the door. You would be as well just closing the league down if that was the case.

?I think the whole furore that has grown up around it is nonsense; I really do. In my opinion there were no major incidents, nothing that merits politicians getting involved.

?Nobody is condoning that [street violence on Old Firm match days] but whether you can relate it to a game of football, where guys are out on the pitch trying to win a game, I?don?t know.

?There has to be a line drawn somewhere as to where the responsibility lies. Surely it has to lie with the people involved in the problems rather than the guys who are trying to win football matches?

?Everybody says it is ?Scotland?s shame? but I know by going down south that everybody is talking about it. Everybody is saying Scottish football is on its knees but there has been more interest in the last week than there has been in weeks. I think we have to be a bit more realistic and put things into perspective and move on a wee bit.?

Weir also sees no merit in the Rangers and Celtic players and management being given particular instructions to retain their discipline when the clubs next meet, in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final at Hampden a week on Sunday.

?If you do that for this game, then you are going to need to do it for every game. I don?t see how you can only single out one game, and watch what you have to do in one match and not the others.

?You have to be responsible for your actions on and off the field, whether you are a footballer or Joe Public. I don?t see why we should be reinforcing it before the cup final.?

"

 

To be honest here he is right in the eyes of the rest of the world outwith us scots thats what they think about scottish football only Rangers & Celtic.

 

Grumpy.

[colinmaroon]

Email I have sent to the Editor at the Herald

 

To the Editor and Sports Editor

 

 

Dear Sir

I am more than disturbed over the coverage in the Herald (and other papers) on the aftermath of the disgraceful scenes at the recent Old Firm game. It seems to me that the real problem is being swept under the carpet by the media.

 

The representation seems to be that Celtic and Rangers have come up with their 6 point plan and, all of a sudden, they are saints instead of sinners. Immediately prior to the summit hosted by the Scottish Government, we had both club?s CEs blaming each other (and the SFA and Uncle Tom Cobbley and all) and then, as if by magic, they are united and come up with the ?Six Point Plan?.

 

Excuse me for being cynical but, I?m afraid this seems more like the result of a meeting between Messrs Bain and Lawell, which must have gone something like this: ?Well, then how are we going to deflect attention away from us, because if we don?t we are going to get hammered!?

 

Notwithstanding that there are some good things in the plan but, just a quick question: ?Why hasn?t this Six Point Plan been brought forward before?? I?m sorry, it smells bad!

 

Of course, there can be trouble at other games but, it really does pale into insignificance compared to the way that the Old Firm have used (and really continue to use) the sectarian divide to maintain their income. Think about it, there has been an initiative on the go for years but what have the Old Firm really DONE to deal with the problem. Now the rest of Scottish Football has to pay the price for their incompetence in dealing with a problem which is of their own making!

 

And, of course, we get the usual propaganda (Goebbels would have been very proud) along the lines of Scottish Football NEEDS the Old Firm! And we have even had a commentator on Fox Sports Channel in the US, stating last weekend that every Scottish Fan really supports one of the Old Firm!!!

 

That last calumny makes the blood boil. At the Hearts v Kilmarnock game last Saturday, the fans set aside their intense rivalry (there has always been a ?thing? between Hearts and Killie, going back to the League Cup Final in the early 60?s) and they all united in singing, ?If you hate the Old Firm clap your hands!?

 

The fact is that the vast majority of non-Old Firm fans would be delighted to see them clear off to the EPL, the Atlantic League or the St Helena Premiership, even if it meant a lot less money! There are a considerable number of season ticket holders who do not attend home games when the Old Firm are in town and, I know that most of those who support other teams would be more than prepared to have Scottish Football poorer but more competitive, without the bullying of the Old Firm. As it is, all the clubs are having to rely on bringing through young talent to survive. That would continue in the clean air of a non-OF SPL.

 

I would just add that, as the Police have called for an end to the OF meeting so often in a season, perhaps most Scottish Football fans outside the OF (90% +) will get their wish, and there will be an end to any talk of a 10 team SPL. I was for a 14 team SPL but now, for anyone who is really wide awake, the ONLY solution is a 16 team SPL where the OF only play each other twice in the League each season!

 

So, please, please, when are we going to see some integrity in reporting in the Press (and we can forget about the Sun and the Daily Record). Surely the Herald is above this cover up!

 

Regards

 

[Mr X]

Moron.

 

Wonder if he'll have the same opinion when he's reserve team coach at Albion Rovers in 3 or 4 years time?

 

Clown.

[Francis Albert]

To be honest here he is right in the eyes of the rest of the world outwith us scots thats what they think about scottish football only Rangers & Celtic.

 

Grumpy.

 

While that sadly may be true, it's probably worth adding that the rest of the world doesn't actually think about Rangers or Celtic much. Go to bars in Dublin and New York (even, in the latter case, indeed in my experience especially, in Irish ones) and they'll be watching and talking about Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea ...

 

In England the only time in recent years when Scottish football attracted a lot of media attention down here was 2005/06, mainly but not only because of Vlad's eccentricities. The novelty of anyone other than the OF challenging at the top is newsworthy whereas the OF duopoly is boring as hell to all but OF supporters. When Hearts briefly looked like possible challengers this year the only commentators I heard talking with any real enthusiasm about the possibility were English.

[269miles]

Old Firm matches behind closed doors would kill the game in Scotland

 

The old fool :

 

... the "pride" fixture of Scottish football

... close down the league if OF derby has to go behind closed doors

... more interest down South now as result of recent OF games

... if police have to talk to players before OF game, it has to happen at all games

 

You really don't get it, do you?

 

Please don't darken the door of our home changing room ever.

 

Old fool.

 

"Weir: Old Firm matches behind closed doors would kill the game in Scotland

Published on 10 Mar 2011

 

MICHAEL GRANT chief football writer in eindhoven [email protected]

David Weir, the Rangers captain, claimed Scottish football would be nothing without the Old Firm rivalry as he defended the much-criticised Glasgow derby last night.

 

drawn somewhere as to where the responsibility lies. Surely it has to lie with the people involved in the problems rather than the guys who are trying to win football matches?

?Everybody says it is ?Scotland?s shame? but I know by going down south that everybody is talking about it. Everybody is saying Scottish football is on its knees but there has been more interest in the last week than there has been in weeks. I think we have to be a bit more realistic and put things into perspective and move on a wee bit.?

Weir also sees no merit in the Rangers and Celtic players and management being given particular instructions to retain their discipline when the clubs next meet, in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final at Hampden a week on Sunday.

?If you do that for this game, then you are going to need to do it for every game. I don?t see how you can only single out one game, and watch what you have to do in one match and not the others.

?You have to be responsible for your actions on and off the field, whether you are a footballer or Joe Public. I don?t see why we should be reinforcing it before the cup final.?

"

 

I've lived down south for 25 years and I can tell you virtually no one down here has any interest in the SPL , OF or otherwise. The only reason there has been a mumur of interest recently is because the English are feckin amazed that things are so bad they've go to the point where the Scottish government is involved. Apasrt from that , the OF are pretty much despised for their shameless whoring of themselves in trying to get into the EPL.

[MAJOR STEVE]

Email I have sent to the Editor at the Herald

 

To the Editor and Sports Editor

 

 

Dear Sir

I am more than disturbed over the coverage in the Herald (and other papers) on the aftermath of the disgraceful scenes at the recent Old Firm game. It seems to me that the real problem is being swept under the carpet by the media.

 

The representation seems to be that Celtic and Rangers have come up with their 6 point plan and, all of a sudden, they are saints instead of sinners. Immediately prior to the summit hosted by the Scottish Government, we had both club?s CEs blaming each other (and the SFA and Uncle Tom Cobbley and all) and then, as if by magic, they are united and come up with the ?Six Point Plan?.

 

Excuse me for being cynical but, I?m afraid this seems more like the result of a meeting between Messrs Bain and Lawell, which must have gone something like this: ?Well, then how are we going to deflect attention away from us, because if we don?t we are going to get hammered!?

 

Notwithstanding that there are some good things in the plan but, just a quick question: ?Why hasn?t this Six Point Plan been brought forward before?? I?m sorry, it smells bad!

 

Of course, there can be trouble at other games but, it really does pale into insignificance compared to the way that the Old Firm have used (and really continue to use) the sectarian divide to maintain their income. Think about it, there has been an initiative on the go for years but what have the Old Firm really DONE to deal with the problem. Now the rest of Scottish Football has to pay the price for their incompetence in dealing with a problem which is of their own making!

 

And, of course, we get the usual propaganda (Goebbels would have been very proud) along the lines of Scottish Football NEEDS the Old Firm! And we have even had a commentator on Fox Sports Channel in the US, stating last weekend that every Scottish Fan really supports one of the Old Firm!!!

 

That last calumny makes the blood boil. At the Hearts v Kilmarnock game last Saturday, the fans set aside their intense rivalry (there has always been a ?thing? between Hearts and Killie, going back to the League Cup Final in the early 60?s) and they all united in singing, ?If you hate the Old Firm clap your hands!?

 

The fact is that the vast majority of non-Old Firm fans would be delighted to see them clear off to the EPL, the Atlantic League or the St Helena Premiership, even if it meant a lot less money! There are a considerable number of season ticket holders who do not attend home games when the Old Firm are in town and, I know that most of those who support other teams would be more than prepared to have Scottish Football poorer but more competitive, without the bullying of the Old Firm. As it is, all the clubs are having to rely on bringing through young talent to survive. That would continue in the clean air of a non-OF SPL.

 

I would just add that, as the Police have called for an end to the OF meeting so often in a season, perhaps most Scottish Football fans outside the OF (90% +) will get their wish, and there will be an end to any talk of a 10 team SPL. I was for a 14 team SPL but now, for anyone who is really wide awake, the ONLY solution is a 16 team SPL where the OF only play each other twice in the League each season!

 

So, please, please, when are we going to see some integrity in reporting in the Press (and we can forget about the Sun and the Daily Record). Surely the Herald is above this cover up!

 

Regards

 

Brilliant

[Napoleon Wilson]

In his old age he has forgotten that he has played for any other club apart from rangers. The death of Scottish football? What an arsehole! There are more than 2 clubs in Scotland you know! I couldn't give a shit if old firm matches were played behind closed doors

[jambovambo]

Brilliant

Indeed, but will be heavily edited if published ... also, the thing is, The Herald is one of the few good guys ...

[colinmaroon]

Indeed, but will be heavily edited if published ... also, the thing is, The Herald is one of the few good guys ...

 

 

That's why:

 

First, I appealed to the Herald

 

Second, note the comment about the Ranker and the Hun - separating the Herald by inference.

[jambovambo]

Fair enough, CM ...

[CF11JamTart]

Just picking up a couple of the points above:

 

1. I too never thought I could loathe a member of the 1997-8 team, but I do. His on-pitch antics of being a snide, niggling cheat are bad enough, but this takes the biscuit.

 

2. Agreeing with 269miles.... I've been living in England and Wales for about 15 years, and Weir can rest-assured that no-one down south gives a monkeys about the SPL. OK, the OF cause an eyebrow to be raised when their freak-show goes to a new level (in a "WTF is that all about" sort of way). But even WITH the OF, the SPL is an irrelevance to those in England and Wales.

[jamboozy]

Sadly, theres now evidence that Mr David Weir is suffering badly with the onset of senile dimentia, he was last seen licking the window of the Rangers bus as it made its way to the airport.

[ToadKiller Dog]

If you look close enough you can still see the Scars around his Weirs forehead they are not from battle on the pitch but from the compulsory Rangers player lobotomy .

 

As said by others the Ugly attraction to others is its freak show nature the Jerry Springer show of world football .

I have been to the continent to watch a few games in national leagues have met a good few that know

about scottish football funny enough they tend to mention Vlad when talking about Hearts , But like most football fans they have a passing interest in other nations leagues . I have also met a few who have hearts as there scottish teams , Same for the sheep and United ,never met any who have said they like hibs.

[rudi must stay]

The saddest thing about this is that he is by no means alone in his belief that the world (well Scotland at least) revolves round the OF.

 

'his belief'? He plays for the OF, saying crazy things that'll please their fans is part of his job.

[Boof]

I've not seen the text of the SFA report into the OF cup debacle...but I'm fairly sure one reporter quoted someone as saying that this was their 'flagship' game...

 

Errr...no...that would be the cup FINAL...wouldn't it?