Hugh just can't keep a bad man down, can you? Just when you think Hugh Dallas' handling of a game couldn't get any worse, he'll always pop up and prove us wrong. Without prattling on too much about the guy it is worth noting that a new crime count has came into play, courtesy of Dallas, when Rangers are the victims. Three yellow cards need to be collected now after booting a Rangers player up and down the park before it results in a red card.
Now we all know fine well that Thugbay at right back wasn't yellow carded in that first half tussle with McCann that brought about a booking for the Ranger. What we should be asking is why not? And while we're about it, we should be asking why the Jambo who sent Mols flying in the box never received as much as a yellow never mind a red coloured one? And Craig Levein had the nerve to suggest that Dallas was pro Rangers in this match?
To be honest though, in a week when Rangers scored eight goals in two league games (we'll deal with the three lost, later) and gained another 6 points in the league. To be honest, the most newsworthy stuff was to be found off the park. Starting with last Saturday evening.
I tuned into some of the '50 greatest sporting Scots' thingy on the Saturday night and must admit to be perplexed at some of the choices. Jock Stein. Someone explain that one to me please? Now 'ba face' was without question a great manager and a fantastic manager cum motivator in how to get consistently great performances out of average players. But he wasn't a sportsman. Not in his professional life and certainly not in his private one either.
Next up we have 'wee Jinky'. Now again I have no qualms in stating that Jimmy Johnstone was a fantastic talent on the right wing and a showman on the park, and indeed that a case could be made for him being in the top 50. But if that is the criteria, then why no Willie Henderson also?
Once again we have to say that those pesky, wee things called facts are being conveniently overlooked here. If you want to look at Henderson and Johnstone's careers as running parallel to each other look at them between the early 60s and early 70s. The fact is, the early to mid 60s belonged to wee 'ten a penny' and that latter part of that era belonged to Johnstone.
Furthermore, if you want to get pernickety about these things, Willie Henderson gained more International caps than Jimmy Johnstone! And before we hear cries of Masonic conspiracies, this includes Johnstone's own club manager picking Henderson before him in major World Cup qualifying ties for Scotland when Stein was of course the interim manager.
Time marches on. Wednesday 4th December 2002 deserves to be remembered however which way you care to look at it for one memorable reason. And that reason is Scotland's First Minister, Jack McConnell. Hell, there was just no keeping this guy out of the limelight at all, was there?
First off, not only was it wholly inappropriate that this reptile was interviewed in the Rangers News. It was also a deliberate slap in the face to the thousands upon thousands of loyal, Northern Irish Rangers fans who buy their weekly edition. Lest we forget, this is the same McConnell, who over ruled the Police in Scotland and allowed the supporters of fascist RC murder gangs in that very, same wee country to walk the streets of Scotland. No, on second thoughts, forget that statement. McConnell being interviewed in 'the snooze' was a slap in the face to every, last single one of us, not just Rangers fans from Ulster.
It needs to be shouted from the rooftops, this anti-Sectarian campaign truly is a sham. And once again we need look no further than our very, own Jack McConn for proof of the pudding. He says that 'It's unacceptable in Scotland today, on the streets of Glasgow - or anywhere else - for people to sell badges, scarves and flags associated with terror, murder and violence.'
May I remind you all once again that this is the same Jack McConnell who lobbied the Police to allow IRA sympathisers to walk the streets of Lanarkshire. Only in Scotland could a politician get away with such blatant deception and the press to allow him the leeway to do so.
Nevertheless we really need to take stock of what is happening now here in Scotland, especially with regards to these new fangled sectarian laws. Now being an inquisitive sort of cove, I feel the following questions need to be asked.
What defines 'sectarianism', and what makes it a crime, punishable by law? To be honest, it is just too easy to say you cause hatred or offence to others. After all there are in our midst people in the United Kingdom who travel for miles to be offended.
For example, if I say 'the Roman Catholic Church in Boston acted as facilitator of child abuse.' Is that a sectarian statement intent on hurting people of that persuasion or am I simply telling the truth taking as evidence the statements of adherents of that Church and revelations in court about the behaviour of church administrators? I¹m all for getting rid of ignorance and sectarianism but I feel in Scotland this may legislation be used as a means to ban free speech.
But just don't stop there, take it further. What happens then if I am telling the truth, but according to McConnell's Gestapo, I am also guilty of heightening 'sectarian' tensions? Will I be allowed to go on saying things that are hurtful to other people, or will the truth be censored? I want you all to think about life here on the Internet these last two and a half years. Who is it, what set of supporters is it who want not just to stifle debate about their club if the truth becomes a heat too prickly to take, but to smother it all together? That's right, the Septic minded.
Who was it who threatened to take legal action if we mentioned a certain boys club scandal? That's right, the Septic-minded. Forget trivialities like, erm it actually happened, they wanted all talk of it banned. Who was it got the word paedophile banned form the old 'Rivals' board? Who was it got the letters I, R and A barred from being put together in conjunction with their foetid club? Who was it that was going to get lawyers onto us because we happened to mention that a former Celtic manager happened to mention that 'the CBC scandal had been an open secret at CP for years'?
Last word for now on sectarianism. When our politicians start to have a serious look at the sectarian, apartheid education system, then I might begin to believe that they are sincere in what they're trying to achieve.
As it stands just now, this whole campaign makes it easy for the most intolerant people in Scottish society IMHO, (I.E the Celtic minded) to cry foul and try to stifle people talking about issues they would rather were hushed up.
But enough of these matters theological and back to what is happening at present here in the cheap, green place. I couldn't help but notice that there has been a definite playing up this last week of the yahoos and linking them with an all, new, state of the art training ground, a'la AuchenMurr. Only without having to pay for it of course.
Why, even our old friend Jack McConn has been quoted on Radio Snide as saying that the East End of Glasgow, an area of the city, which is being depopulated, even as we speak, is deserving of a totally brand new, luxurious multi million pound health/leisure/sports complex. Curiously enough, just a few days later there is news in the Evenin Tims, that Celtic are at this moment in time talking to, two separate councils on the very issue. Cynical, who Moi?
With regard to Wednesday night's Livi game. I watched the highlights through still-disbelieving eyes. I'll say it again, there are far too many players at Ibrox with too many bad habits. It's just a pity that the manager is a victim of the financial excesses of his two predecessors.
Because it would be interesting to see just how ruthless he would be if major funds were available to him?
Another interesting wee glimpse into how the powers that be operate here in Scottish football was thrown up when it was announced that the SPL had upheld Livingston's right to sack their Argentinian player, Sergio Berti, after he spat on a team mate during a friendly at Morecambe.
Let's see now. The people who run the game here in Scotland think it is OK for a club to sack a player for spitting on another player. Yet these people in their wisdom only two years ago took no action against a Celtic player who spat on an opponent at East End Park? Strange that.
And to round off. Winner of this week's 'Well you certainly got that one spot on' award goes to our very own Peter Lovenkrands who said the other day 'Maybe it was tactics when Momo Sylla started hitting me with a knee in the back' Peter, I've got news for you. That will be their tactics every, single time you play against them. It's what thugs do.
So it's a big day for all of us tomorrow. It's going to be a long one also for those of us going to FF's annual bash. You good people going tomorrow will be making a big difference to a wee boy from Glasgow's East End. I suppose that in itself should be enough of a reward for being a FFer tomorrow. But seeing as I'm a greedy so and so. Santa, if you're reading this. Is there anyway you could get me three points tomorrow.
I'm not looking for much. Three points and a tangerine and I promise to be good for the rest of the year. Have a good un Bears. And I hope to see some of you good people tomorrow night.
We are the People.
The Govanhill Gub.