Twitter

[Empty It]

It's just untrue and there are numerous Catholics that have played for the club before Mo Johnston.

Between 1930 and 1989 when Johnston signed how many Roman Catholics did Rangers actually sign? As this is when the ban was apparently in place.

[SANTAN]

Just now, Empty It said:

 

 

Between 1930 and 1989 when Johnston signed how many Roman Catholics did Rangers actually sign? As this is when the ban was apparently in place.

 

I don't know of the top of my head. 

There was never a ban in place. Who introduced this made up "ban"? 

[Empty It]

I don't know of the top of my head. 
There was never a ban in place. Who introduced this made up "ban"? 

But surely you can name atleast one if they weren't against it? Takes a simple Google to find that they didnt sign any in that time frame but that'll just be another thing to add to the long list of coincidence.

[itzdrk]

5 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

I don't know of the top of my head. 

There was never a ban in place. Who introduced this made up "ban"? 

Rangers

[SANTAN]

13 minutes ago, Empty It said:

17 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

I don't know of the top of my head. 
There was never a ban in place. Who introduced this made up "ban"? 

But surely you can name atleast one if they weren't against it? Takes a simple Google to find that they didnt sign any in that time frame but that'll just be another thing to add to the long list of coincidence.

Funnily enough I don't remember players from a time period 30 years before I was born and their chosen religion. 

If you perhaps do a more extensive google you will find plenty of sources showing catholics that played for Rangers in that time period, perhaps someone could point to any shred of evidence that there was a specific policy put in place like what was initially claimed. 

[Empty It]

Funnily enough I don't remember players from a time period 30 years before I was born and their chosen religion. 
If you perhaps do a more extensive google you will find plenty of sources showing catholics that played for Rangers in that time period, perhaps someone could point to any shred of evidence that there was a specific policy put in place like what was initially claimed. 

Not as if a vice chairman come out and said something along the lines of our heritage when asked about it and several players and managers speaking out about it. Some conspiracy against the mighty Rangers this must be.

[SANTAN]

7 minutes ago, Empty It said:

9 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

Funnily enough I don't remember players from a time period 30 years before I was born and their chosen religion. 
If you perhaps do a more extensive google you will find plenty of sources showing catholics that played for Rangers in that time period, perhaps someone could point to any shred of evidence that there was a specific policy put in place like what was initially claimed. 

Not as if a vice chairman come out and said something along the lines of our heritage when asked about it and several players and managers speaking out about it. Some conspiracy against the mighty Rangers this must be.

So you don't have proof of a signing policy. Colour me surprised. 

[KingRocketman II]

5 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

So you don't have proof of a signing policy. Colour me surprised. 

this seems reasonably well sourced:

Prior to the First World War, Rangers did not have any policy regarding players' religion, and at that time the club did have a number of Catholic players.^[2][3] In the 1920s, following the rise in popularity of the Orange Order in Glasgow where Rangers players and directors attended functions,^[4] Rangers quietly introduced an unwritten rule that the club would not sign any player or employ any staff member who was openly Catholic.^[5][6] An indication that the policy was specifically anti-Catholic rather than Protestant-only was Rangers' signing of Egyptian international Mohamed Latif in 1934.^[7]

The policy was not acknowledged publicly until 1965 when Ralph Brand, on leaving the club for Manchester City, told the News of the World that Rangers operated a Protestants-only policy.^[8] Two years later vice-chairman Matt Taylor was asked about perceived anti-Catholicism with the ban on Catholics at Rangers; he stated "[it is] part of our tradition ... we were formed in 1873 as a Protestant boys club. To change now would lose us considerable support".^[9]Northern Irish club Linfield, which shares a similar culture to Rangers, had a similar policy, though not as strict as Rangers', until the 1980s, as a contrast to their Big Two rivals Glentoran.^[10]

 

[Empty It]

You could just come out and condemn the signing policy instead of doubling down and coming across as a sectarian sympathiser. By constantly denying it you're just defending a bunch of bigots.

[SANTAN]

3 hours ago, KingRocketman II said:

this seems reasonably well sourced:

Prior to the First World War, Rangers did not have any policy regarding players' religion, and at that time the club did have a number of Catholic players.^[2][3] In the 1920s, following the rise in popularity of the Orange Order in Glasgow where Rangers players and directors attended functions,^[4] Rangers quietly introduced an unwritten rule that the club would not sign any player or employ any staff member who was openly Catholic.^[5][6] An indication that the policy was specifically anti-Catholic rather than Protestant-only was Rangers' signing of Egyptian international Mohamed Latif in 1934.^[7]

The policy was not acknowledged publicly until 1965 when Ralph Brand, on leaving the club for Manchester City, told the News of the World that Rangers operated a Protestants-only policy.^[8] Two years later vice-chairman Matt Taylor was asked about perceived anti-Catholicism with the ban on Catholics at Rangers; he stated "[it is] part of our tradition ... we were formed in 1873 as a Protestant boys club. To change now would lose us considerable support".^[9]Northern Irish club Linfield, which shares a similar culture to Rangers, had a similar policy, though not as strict as Rangers', until the 1980s, as a contrast to their Big Two rivals Glentoran.^[10]

 

1 ex player saying "protestant only" isn't a reputable source of a no catholic signing policy. You'll not find any because it didn't exist and if it did exist then they did a terrible job considering we signed numerous catholic players and other players from different religions. 

2 hours ago, Empty It said:

You could just come out and condemn the signing policy instead of doubling down and coming across as a sectarian sympathiser. By constantly denying it you're just defending a bunch of bigots.

Why would I condemn a mythical signing policy?

Do you condemn things that don't exist? How on earth does that come across as "a sectarian sympathiser"??? I'm not defending any bigots, I'm refuting made up stories. 

[jimbaxters]

3 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

1 ex player saying "protestant only" isn't a reputable source of a no catholic signing policy. You'll not find any because it didn't exist and if it did exist then they did a terrible job considering we signed numerous catholic players and other players from different religions. 

Why would I condemn a mythical signing policy?

Do you condemn things that don't exist? How on earth does that come across as "a sectarian sympathiser"??? I'm not defending any bigots, I'm refuting made up stories. 

Blow them out the water by naming the catholic signings.

[KingRocketman II]

16 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

1 ex player saying "protestant only" isn't a reputable source of a no catholic signing policy. You'll not find any because it didn't exist and if it did exist then they did a terrible job considering we signed numerous catholic players and other players from different religions. 

Why would I condemn a mythical signing policy?

Do you condemn things that don't exist? How on earth does that come across as "a sectarian sympathiser"??? I'm not defending any bigots, I'm refuting made up stories. 

you are bizarrely ignoring the subsequent statement by then then Vice Chairman.

But yes, If you  exclude the VC statement (why did he give that statement?), and also overlook the refusal by Rangers to sign a Catholic player over a  60 year period, and also ignore that pretty much everyone  in Scottish football acknowledged and/or lampooned this signing policy (Ricki Fulton and Gregor Fisher's Scotch and Wry Brendan O'Mally sketch for example) then yes, it is one ex-player's word. 

Edited April 10, 2021 by KingRocketman II
spelling

[WhiteRoseKillie]

Blow them out the water by naming the catholic signings.

Aye, go on, Stormzy. It shouldn't take long..

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

20 minutes ago, KingRocketman II said:

(Ricki Fulton and Gregor Fisher's Scotch and Wry Brendan O'Mally sketch for example)

At the end of 1967 Rangers had done a deal to buy Ian Porterfield from Raith Rovers until it hit a (elephant in the room) stumbling block.

Their loss was Sunderland's gain as Porterfield helped them win the FA cup some years later.

[Mark Connolly]

It was never a written policy nudge nudge, wink wink, funny handshake, one trouser leg rolled up, etc

[Empty It]

Blow them out the water by naming the catholic signings.

They signed a player Laurie Blyth who was catholic, only problem is he was hounded out when they found out. No policy though.

[velo army]

Quite the hill to die on this. All its doing is bringing the focus back to the historical discrimination and away from the good work being done by your club.

It happened, it isn't in place now, they're doing good work now and it should be applauded. 

[SANTAN]

So nobody can post proof of such policy? I acknowledge the club obviously wasn't keen on the idea and it was wink wink nudge nudge but the initial claim I'm refuting stands, we did not have a specific policy in place to not sign catholics and in addition during the time period stated we did indeed have catholic players on the books at various points....

You can all use google for yourselves if you're wanting to find out about Catholics that played for us in that time period, I know there were a handful but don't know the names off hand and I'm not going to waste my time convincing people on something I already know. I think one was called Lafferty. 

[johnnydun]

57 minutes ago, Stormzy said:

So nobody can post proof of such policy? I acknowledge the club obviously wasn't keen on the idea and it was wink wink nudge nudge but the initial claim I'm refuting stands, we did not have a specific policy in place to not sign catholics and in addition during the time period stated we did indeed have catholic players on the books at various points....

You can all use google for yourselves if you're wanting to find out about Catholics that played for us in that time period, I know there were a handful but don't know the names off hand and I'm not going to waste my time convincing people on something I already know. I think one was called Lafferty. 

Rangers signed a whopping 4 Catholics between 1917 and 1989. I could name them.

But, you have to be honest here, the Rangers board were very bigoted when it came to signing Catholics in this period and I guarantee that this played a role if a player got signed or not. They were not the only 'Company' during this time that wouldn't take guys on because of their bigoted mindset. My previous employer, Weir Pumps, who also had shares in Rangers, went through a long period of not hiring Catholics. It was well known. It might not have been written down for all to see but it definitely existed.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]