“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re mis-informed.”
Mark Twain had a knack for overstatement, but you wonder if there was ever a golden age of the newspapers, and if so, what it looked like. In Scotland, it’s seldom looked like it has this week.
Some weeks ago, Graham Spiers, writing in The Herald, made reference to comments he claimed a Newco director made about the Billy Boys song. Spiers didn’t name the director, but questioned the club’s board’s willingness to tackle offensive behaviour.
The Billy Boys were a Glasgow razor gang from the 1920s and 30s, named after their leader, Billy Fullerton. Glasgow was one of the poorest cities in the industrial world, with high unemployment and mortality rates, squalid housing conditions and what we would now term disaffected young people who drifted into criminal gangs. The Billy Boys were known as a Protestant gang (there were similar Catholic gangs) and started going along to watch Rangers, and singing their signature tune, in the 20s.
So far, so anthropologic. The song, the gangs, the disaffected masses were a product of their time, but the song persisted through the decades, including the “up to our knees in Fenian blood” third line. It was the mood music to employment practices at Ibrox from the 20s until 1989.
Scotland has changed enormously since then. We are a genuinely plural society, not one scandalised by “mixed marriages”. The vast majority of people don’t care who or what you are, boundaries have been pushed back, there is a fairly level playing field, no matter your creed or colour. All of this change brought focus to the Billy Boys song, it’s not the mood music to modern Scotland, or to ANY Rangers fans I know.
I couldn’t care less about the song. For me, it is a millstone around the neck of Newco, as it was of Oldco. It drags them down to a place they can ill-afford to be. It offends (not alone in football), has a criminal legacy (not alone in football), but it’s unique quality is that third line. You can’t say that about any group of people anymore.
Spiers has put his neck on the block over sectarianism at Ibrox repeatedly over the years. He wrote about his recent experience at Ibrox, expressed an opinion, and submitted his copy.
The club complained. Football clubs complain lots about many things. There’s a set answer newspapers give to these complaints: “It was an opinion piece”. They never retract or apologise for “an opinion piece”.
I’m 100% certain The Herald’s first response to Newco was “it’s an opinion piece”. This would normally have been the end of it, but on Wednesday The Herald issued an apology.
Spiers then became a blogger to explain “My opinion – as expressed in my column – was based on a truthful account of my meeting with a Rangers director.”
Who you believe is irrelevant for this topic. The only relevance is that within a 24 hour period, The Herald and Evening Times group changed how they deal with criticisms of an opinion piece – and then used six degrees of separation to drag Celtic into a sectarian headline.
“Ex-Celtic player in dock for sectarianism”, screamed the Evening Times, using the Celtic badge into the bargain. A woman is on trial for allegedly making a sectarian comment on Facebook. She once played for Celtic under-19s, never the senior ladies team. She doesn’t play for Celtic Ladies under-19s (or any age group) anymore, and didn’t a year ago when she made this comment. She never held an employed position at the club.
An amateur, juvenile, registered with the club who are a member of the Women’s Association. Fill your boots, Evening Times. The apology will do them no favours with any constituency, it will cost them more readers in each than sticking to their guns would have. Reacting by grasping onto something so tenuous to drag Celtic into the murky waters was unconscionable.
They do not report in this manner elsewhere. Headlines for court appearances never lead with the person’s club memberships, “Prestwick Golf Club member in driving ban”? You’ll never read this.
One very good political journalist once told me “The football content pays my wages”. That being the case, The Herald’s already difficult job to survive has been enormously undermined. Spiers also explained “the pressure brought upon the newspaper became severe”. They can ill-afford to lose advertising revenue streams, or readers.
Napoleon once said, “‘Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets”. He’s been dead a long time, though. Newspapers can now make themselves impotent in an afternoon.
1,255 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- »
But I’ve no idea why he’s selling duns.
Typo csc
“In the Future when all is well.
Living longer than I had intended.”
Mo, Mo, Mo , Mo.
Noah.CSC
2 witness thang trying to be Abolished by the SNP……
Wow.
Here we go.
Who are the futuristic 2 witness?
The Whole World sees them, after all… Another Confirmation that The Word is God …. And God is the Word.
The Bhoys from the County Cork.
I’d Love Roy Keane to be the next Celtic Manager
Hopefully in 10 years Time.
Ronny wants to stay for 10 years.
lct.
God Bless ye.
Ronny gets an offer from ……….Everton Stoke City Leeds Watford or whoever else….and he’ll be off
mickbhoy1888 on 31st January 2016 1:21 am
as true today as was when it was sung many years ago
“THE DERRY AND CUMBERLAND BOYS”
Noo ye’ve heard o the Billies and Sallys
The Norman Cong and the Sang Toy
Here’s two more tae add tae yer tally
The Derry and Cumberland Boys
Noo the Cumbie Boys are Roman Catholic
Tae chapel they’ve been wance ot twice
But Parkhead is their new Jerusalem
And Jock Stein the latter day Christ
And the Derry Boys are tae be christians
That’s plain baith tae hear and tae see
For their language is really religious
“Jesus Christ”, “Oh my God”, “FTP”
When asked what they think o religion
They’ll say “Aw religions aw right”
But these guys are only religious
When they want an excuse for a fight
So don’t wear a green scarf in Brigton
Or a blue scarf in Cumberland Street
No unless your a heavy weight champion
Or hell o a quick on yer feet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
N1
Hopefully you are wrong but if he gets offered 10 times his salary, you are likely to be right.
wrongrightyoutubething.
I had a great night tonight at Xavier Centre in Cardin with a top table of Paul67, Bertie Auld, Evan Williams replacing John Clark, Joe (apologies for forgetting your surname) writer of 3 Celtic Minded books, and Wullie Collum.
Wee Bertie loves the mike and was brilliant but once Wullie spoke, a very honest and truthful man, the questions to him were plentiful and I must admit, he has went massively up in my estimations. He answered every question including his mistakes and I left thinking very highly of him. If you get a chance, speak to him.
Great turn out and all top table were excellent.
Traditional Christianity is Pure.
Marx and the Theosophists especially have been attacking the Divinity of Jesus Christ, You can put Yeates where he belongs. Who knows though eh?
The Pyramid is steps to taking away a Belief system and injecting a new one – thats a short synopsis btw – Masonic doctrine. The externalising of this Doctrine has happened for decades nooooo.
Wow – The World is being Worshipped now alongside Materialism, like never before.
angerapparentlyisanenergy. £4.50 still annoyed.
Mark Twain, Napoleon and the 4th Estate in the one headline?
Tip of the hat to Paul67.
Headlines like this illustrate something profound about new media.
I read the Greenslade article in The Guardian. I suggest all do, well particularly the comments section, and the positive votes they receive (or do not). Reading it suggests that at last the message is getting through to a larger audience. To paraphrase one of the most popular comments: Why is the biggest sports story of the century not being covered? A story that involves sport, politics, the law, and the collapse of a Bank. And, perhaps most pertinently, a knight of the realm?
Personally, it reminds me of a political scientist I know who summarized current affairs quite succinctly by saying….
We need a new Social Contract.
It will negotiated via reason or blood.
Aye…. Interesting Times
Twain, Napoleon and the 4th Estate would agree. (If the 4th Estate existed).
LYMMBHOY on 30TH JANUARY 2016 12:16 PM
Kevjungle
Just for you
The Jungle (Celtic Park). https://youtu.be/OntOSofZUnM
The Old Celtic Park. https://youtu.be/oYn8aW2Oiqs
The Jungles Last Stand. https://youtu.be/lGxBZtFyA3s
HH
____________________________________________
LYMMBHOY – I’m so sorry for scrolling past yer post yesterday.
Thank You and God Bless.
You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Good luck to the Celtic today.
….good bye…..
NATKNOW on 30TH JANUARY 2016 9:28 PM
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 30TH JANUARY 2016 8:19 PM
Tontine Tim on 30th January 2016 6:38 pm
The print medium will recover.
As did the cinema after the widespread purchase of T.V. sets in U.K. in `52 ….:-)……….
Nothing takes the place of a book or a newspaper in your hands..
imho
—————————-
Except a Kindle!
=====================================================================
Naw it disnae.
You keep the heid.
Haven’t been on here much or the net at all
Have we signed that man city winger ?
Any other ins or outs look likely ?
Catman or lennybhoy have any transfer info ?
Proudbhoy
The Man City boy is a done deal 18mth loan, medical and signing today, also at the game so hopefully at wee victory will give him a final to look forward too, Ajer left out of the Start starting 11 on Friday night with the rumour it’s because he is signing as well
Jimbob71
“Wullie Collum. ……….a very honest and truthful man”
Did you look him straight in the eyes before coming to this conclusion?
And, if so, was it the ones at the front of his head, or the back?
Would love to hear how he explained that ‘honest mistake’.
Please share, Jimbob.
Hail Hail!
My appols. If this has been posted, it’s a good read IMO.
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/free-pitchfork-and-flaming-torch-for-every-remaining-reader/
I feel like a burglar because I am posting before I have read Jobo`s Weather Report but I have to go out to the golf.
So, my team for today:
Gordon
Lustig Ambrose Simunovic Tierney
GMS McGregor Bitton Johansen Armstrong
Griffiths.
I won`t be surprised if Ronny agrees with me 0:-)
Cheerio for now and all the best to those going to the game .
JJ
Not far off JJ.
https://bampotsutd.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/celtic-vs-ross-county-preview-predicted-xi-and-betting-tip/
TD
Agreed re The Clumpany Article. Very good……just a shame that it had to be written.
Definitely off now!
JJ
Predicted Not official .
http://readceltic.com/2016/01/30/predicted-xi-celtic-v-ross-county/
Jimbob71
Y’know, the way Larry David would have.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CuEnGTuqjh8
JJ I agree, but when things like this have to be written, it’s the ones who caused the offence who should be ashamed IMO.
Good Morning Timland.
“with Hibs in the final and oh what a scene
all Hampden was covered in banner’s of green”
And his burd is easy on the eye too :))
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/01/30/chris-sutton-offers-his-verdict-on-erik-sviatchenko-signing/
Just stood outside my back door there to get some fresh air, it’s a lovely morning, it’s fresh but not to cold, still need to be wrapped up don’t get me wrong, lol, the view from my back door I must say is brilliant, I can see The Campsies with the snow on top of them, I’m two miles from Hampden it looks OK overhead and hardly any wind at all, no rain clouds coming in from the west (so far) so it looks like a good day for a semi final, personally, I wouldent be seen dead in the Sheet Hole (as the Mexicans would say) but! That’s another story, have a great safe day guys and bring us home a WIN.
Morning Bhoys a Milder morning in Central Scotland a good day for the game and a good day for a Celtic win. H.H.
Good morning friends from a slightly slushy, heavy clouded and disappointingly dull looking East KIlbride, 7 miles from Hampden.
TD67
No, they’d say ‘agujero de mierda’.
Buenos días, Antonio!
Well the transfer window closes tomorrow and we are still left with to many fringe players in my opinion who will never be first team regulars and are draining money from the club. It just proves it is easier to bring players in than to get rid of them . H.H.
tonydonnelly67
I had a fondness for the ole Hampden,it was
our second home when I was growing up.
Hate the sh#te hole it is now,never went near it
for a decade.
I ended my boycott at the semi-final lose to
St Mirren in 2013,told myself that I would never
go near the place ever again.
I have of course, going the day as well,turns out
I’m just not very good at the boycott thingy.
Aneurin (Your Sunday name )
Roar them on for those of us who can`t be there.
:-)
If anyone is in the Melbourne vicinity can they find and wake up Andy Murray, he’s due on court in Aussie Open Final.
macjay1 for Neil Lennon
Don’t know how many ticket’s have been sold,
it’s live on the telly,I would be surprised if the
crowd is over 25k.
Good Morning.
I am still angry but have finally gathered my thoughts about the way Graham Spiers was hung out to dry, and Angela Haggerty was sacked for daring to express solidarity with him. This is an absolutely disgraceful episode, and the Herald should hang its head in shame.
“Free Pitchfork and Flaming Torch for Every Remaining Reader”
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/free-pitchfork-and-flaming-torch-for-every-remaining-reader/
JOBO BALDIE on 31ST JANUARY 2016 9:01 AM
Good morning friends from a slightly slushy, heavy clouded and disappointingly dull looking East KIlbride, 7 miles from Hampden.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/mark-twain-napoleon-and-fatal-newspaper-mistakes/comment-page-28/#comment-2764358
Ohhhh, don’t get me wrong, those Campsies can dissapeared in 90 seconds I’v seen it many many times, lol.
St Stivs, thanks for your post last night about.Malcolm MacDonald.
My dad will be 90 this year. He has seen some of our greatest players but still maintains , Malcolm, is the best Celtic player he ever saw.
Good luck to our team today.