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8 minutes ago, gannonball said:

You don't think the Franco years add at least something in terms of needle? It goes way beyond to the two biggest teams in the country for me.

You are a Celtic fan though, things that happened in Ireland hundreds of years ago add things to your derby in your mind.

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A section of Celtic fans, presumably the green brigade, like to sing “no voting shitebags” at us every time we go to Parkheid.

 

I’m not sure whether to class this as political or constitutional - and it’s hardly a sea of saltires in their section once you get into the ground.

 

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I think the idea that sport isn't political is a very British concept.

 

I agree - one of the best football related books you can read is “A Season With Verona” when Tim Parks spends a season in amongst the Hellas Verona ultras.

The reason it’s such a fascinating read is due to the co-mingling of the beautiful game and the geopolitical attitudes in Italy.

 

As for closer to home, whereas Aberdeen tend to “stand free” when it comes to sectarian stuff (albeit there have been a couple of recent examples to the contrary), other than the footballing rivalry, it is generally a mixture of historical, cultural, political and economic differences that lead us to dislike clubs from certain other parts of the country, whilst they have little time for us.

 

 

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I think the idea of politics not influencing football in any way is an idealistic one.

When people say "politics and sport don't mix", what I feel like they often really mean is "I don't like politics being brought in sport, even though it inevitably happens".

For what it's worth, I view the Hibs support's general political stance (left wing, fairly positive about Scottish independence, support of peaceful Irish republican movement) as a happy coincidence for me, who happens to likewise believe in those things. I don't think it's a require of supporting Hibs, but maybe we are a club who attracts a certain type of person.

Edited by HibsFan
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I think there are legitimate places where football and politics intersect - eg, the OBFA - and so I can see how football fans need to care about politics at times - and where necessary, directly involve themselves in it.

Where I find it intensely tiresome though is the Palestine/Israel type one-upmanship that Rangers and Celtic fans have engaged in for years, never mind the all-pervasive Ireland stuff - that really has very little to do with the (perfectly legitimate) political issues involved. When I see the way that Scottish Tories have assiduously courted the staunchest elements of society with their snide WATP  tweets and the knowing dog-whistly stuff - I find it all pretty tawdry and unnecessary TBH. 

I'm interested in politics generally and think everyone should be, but it has had absolutely zero bearing one way or another to my support of a modest town club...

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Scotland is a small nation so everything is more polarised it can't be compared with Italy or Spain.
The diverse and divided opinions can tear it part but can also bring it together in equal measure. 
Scotland in the main is a left wing country with about 10 to 15 percent right siders.
Football is more divided than the countries political view so it's never a good barometer.

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When I see the way that Scottish Tories have assiduously courted the staunchest elements of society with their snide WATP  tweets and the knowing dog-whistly stuff - I find it all pretty tawdry and unnecessary TBH.


.....and judging by the flags at Ibrox, it’s hardly the Newton Mearns, Bearsden or Bridge of Allan Loyal that buy into it.

It’s people from the very communities that the Tories thought nothing of decimating.....
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I have no idea what religion/mythical creature the founding fathers of my team Ross County worshipped and frankly I couldn't give a toss. In fact I've no idea what faith or religion the guys who sit around me are, I'd assume some/most were atheist but I don't know and again couldn't give a toss. 

 

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1 hour ago, Dindeleux said:

You are a Celtic fan though, things that happened in Ireland hundreds of years ago add things to your derby in your mind.

Well now you bring it up yes politics makes the Glasgow Derby more of a spectacle than it should be. Quality wise its not exactly brilliant.

You get rivalries like Liverpool Everton which are generally friendly and well attended but aren't a patch on the likes of Galatasaray/Fenerbache for me, which again is political.

Edited by gannonball
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2 minutes ago, gannonball said:

Well now you bring it up yes politics makes the Glasgow Derby more of a spectacle than it should be. Quality wise its not exactly brilliant.

You get rivalries like Liverpool Everton which are generally friendly and well attended but aren't a patch on the likes of Galatasaray/Fenerbache for me, which again is political.

What’s the politics behind the Man Utd and Liverpool derby?

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11 minutes ago, Dindeleux said:

What’s the politics behind the Man Utd and Liverpool derby?

The rivalry is between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester. However this is a rivalry mostly based on sporting competitiveness and geographical proximity, it is somewhat a manufactured rivalry. Man Utd's true rivalry is Leeds United which traces all the way back to the Civil war of Lancashire vs Yorkshire War of the Roses then the competition of both cities during the Industrial Revolution. 

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Politics are politics

Football is football

They do not go together and anyone who brings politics into football or football into politics is a fucking arsehole who I have nothing but contempt for 

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Just now, MJC said:

Politics are politics

Football is football

They do not go together and anyone who brings politics into football or football into politics is a fucking arsehole who I have nothing but contempt for 

Its almost unavoidable at international level though

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Just now, gannonball said:

Its almost unavoidable at international level though

Which is part of the reason that I have almost zero interest in international football.

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13 minutes ago, MJC said:

Politics are politics

Football is football

They do not go together and anyone who brings politics into football or football into politics is a fucking arsehole who I have nothing but contempt for 

The man who helped turn Ravenscraig blue speaks.

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1 hour ago, wastecoatwilly said:

Scotland is a small nation so everything is more polarised it can't be compared with Italy or Spain.
The diverse and divided opinions can tear it part but can also bring it together in equal measure. 
Scotland in the main is a left wing country with about 10 to 15 percent right siders.
Football is more divided than the countries political view so it's never a good barometer.

Sorry, what? The US is arguably the most polarised society on the planet and it's a fucking massive country. 

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6 hours ago, gannonball said:

I wouldn't know where to start with our largest shareholder (Desmond) however he is not a majority shareholder. He is probably the opposite the majority of our support in terms of political views. This nearly came to a head when we were trying to get the club to pay the living wage showed and it showed how much of a reptile him and the board are. In the end they reluctantly agreed  to pay them the set amount but refused to endorse actual scheme. 

When it comes to distribution of resources in football, most Celtic fans are wildly right wing.

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Guest Moomintroll
You don't think the Franco years add at least something in terms of needle? It goes way beyond to the two biggest teams in the country for me.
Yes quite, methinks Dindy might want to read a few books on Catalunyan history here, the fall out from the Civil War still permeates this rivalry to the current day. Most Castillians hate Catalunyans & vice versa with a conflict that is far more recent than our own underpinning it.
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