Irish ex Celtic player new manager at Tynecastle!

[Hibrandenburg]

Was just thinking its a sign of how far we've come as a community that an English ex Rangers player can be considered as Hibs manager without anyone batting an eyelid.

Imagine the outrage across the road if an Irish ex Celtic player was being touted as their next manager, sickbag would be in meltdown.

Discuss!

[smurf]

I disagree. I think there would be a minority up in arms but you really think they'd be upset if Roy Keane was appointed their manager?

[lyonhibs]

Was just thinking its a sign of how far we've come as a community that an English ex Rangers player can be considered as Hibs manager without anyone batting an eyelid.

Imagine the outrage across the road if an Irish ex Celtic player was being touted as their next manager, sickbag would be in meltdown.

Discuss!

I think Hearts fans probably use roughly the same criteria to decide their thoughts on an incoming manager as we do.

With the obvious exception of Neil Lennon - who is an absolute bellend regardless of religion/country of origin - I can't think of any realistic Irish (or at least played for Ireland) ex-Celtc player now in management who the Jambos would get all het up about.

[The Sea-gull]

Was just thinking its a sign of how far we've come as a community that an English ex Rangers player can be considered as Hibs manager without anyone batting an eyelid.

Imagine the outrage across the road if an Irish ex Celtic player was being touted as their next manager, sickbag would be in meltdown.

Discuss!

I'm not sure there would be a great deal of outrage to be fair. Think most Edinburgh football fans aren't really into that. I did detect the odd hint that a few people on here quite liked the idea of us having an Irish manager and maybe cut him some slack because of that (more slack than say a Bobby Williamson got or a Terry Butcher will get if he doesn't do well) but that is just me and it was only minor things I picked up.

I have not seen a single post referring to the fact that Butcher is ex England and ex Hun captain and neither htere should be. Refreshing that nobody has made an issue of it. Lets hope nobody does if things don't go well. Criticise him for being a crap manger by all means but no need to bring his nationality or anything like that into it.

I actually feel like Butcher is kind of a little bit Scottish now anyway!

[Geo_1875]

I'm not sure there would be a great deal of outrage to be fair. Think most Edinburgh football fans aren't really into that. I did detect the odd hint that a few people on here quite liked the idea of us having an Irish manager and maybe cut him some slack because of that (more slack than say a Bobby Williamson got or a Terry Butcher will get if he doesn't do well) but that is just me and it was only minor things I picked up.

I have not seen a single post referring to the fact that Butcher is ex England and ex Hun captain and neither htere should be. Refreshing that nobody has made an issue of it. Lets hope nobody does if things don't go well. Criticise him for being a crap manger by all means but no need to bring his nationality or anything like that into it.

I actually feel like Butcher is kind of a little bit Scottish now anyway!

I don't think that PF got any slack because of his nationality. I do think you'll find that their are people who post on this board who will give the manager slack simply because he's our manager. Same goes for players. Why boo you your own players and management? It does the oppositions job for them.

:flag::flag::flag:

[The_Todd]

I disagree. I think there would be a minority up in arms but you really think they'd be upset if Roy Keane was appointed their manager?

They would be, but only because the guys an arse.

[J-C]

TBH the fact that Butcher played for Rangers has nothing to do with anything really, he was a professional footballer and Rangers were paying his wages, don't think there was any connection prior to him coming north of the border and being English, well as for me I couldn't care less where he's from as long as he does a good job.

[Hibrandenburg]

TBH the fact that Butcher played for Rangers has nothing to do with anything really, he was a professional footballer and Rangers were paying his wages, don't think there was any connection prior to him coming north of the border and being English, well as for me I couldn't care less where he's from as long as he does a good job.

Same here but I still think there's a large element of the Yams would be in uproar if the tables were turned.

[joe breezy]

Alex Miller, Bobby Williamson, maybe not English but Mowbray was

[jacomo]

I disagree. I think there would be a minority up in arms but you really think they'd be upset if Roy Keane was appointed their manager?

I'd be fuming if Pat Fenlon took over at Hearts, I'll tell you that for free.

Not a Celtc player right enough, but a self-declared fan.

[jacomo]

TBH the fact that Butcher played for Rangers has nothing to do with anything really, he was a professional footballer and Rangers were paying his wages, don't think there was any connection prior to him coming north of the border and being English, well as for me I couldn't care less where he's from as long as he does a good job.

Are you saying Butcher isn't a mason?

[J-C]

Are you saying Butcher isn't a mason?

I'm saying who cares :)

[joe breezy]

I'm saying who cares :)

:agree:

[Hibercelona]

The credentials required to be Hearts manager involve either being a nonce (think Rix), a jakey ned (think Fester). Or somebody who gets excited at the thought of being pished on (think Locke).

Anything different from the aforementioned would see them in a complete state of meltdown.

They're an odd bunch.

[Sir David Gray]

I honestly don't think the majority of Hearts fans would be bothered in the slightest if an Irishman who used to play for Celtic became their manager.

[Hibernia&Alba]

IMO, there's a lunatic fringe in the Hearts support who adhere to loyalist/Protestant/Rangers agenda, but they're a small and dwindling minority. I'd be surprised if there was widespread discontent at the appointment of any manager on the basis of his background at the PBS. As much as I love to hate Hearts, I don't think it's fair to cast them as simply a smaller version of Rangers.


Same goes for big Terrence. The fact he's an English ex-Hun makes no difference at all. It's what the man says and does that matters. If, on the other hand, he were an out and out bigot of the Andy Goram type, I wouldn't want him.

[Flanny boy]

I think in days gone by there would have been
more opposition to the likes of tb being appointed
but now we just want a manager who will do the
buisness for hibs regardless of their background

[Golden Bear]

I'm saying who cares :)

And so say all of us (well most of us)

[Hibernia&Alba]

I think in days gone by there would have been
more opposition to the likes of tb being appointed
but now we just want a manager who will do the
buisness for hibs regardless of their background

On what grounds would there have been opposition to Butcher - his being English, or his Rangers past? I don't think it would have mattered in the past either.

[Hibstrooper]

So is the discussion point whether we think Hearts fans are a bunch of bigots? Pretty poor thread and no need for it in my opinion.

[Bishop Hibee]

His Rangers past will only be brought up if we are doing badly.

There were chants of "one Alex Miller" from Hibs fans on his debut match v Oldco. Even in those days when certain chants were commonplace at ER, the fans were fairminded enough to give Miller a chance.

[Golden Bear]

So is the discussion point whether we think Hearts fans are a bunch of bigots? Pretty poor thread and no need for it in my opinion.

Exactly

It's already a contender for worst thread of the year.

[joe breezy]

There are some Hearts fans that are bigots and there are Hibs fans with terrorist sympathies too.

I think the majority put football first though - even Sevco fans will accept Catholics nowadays - if in the 60s you could have foresaw a Catholic like Nacho Novo becoming a cult hero at Ibrox people would have laughed.

[1two]

there are Hibs fans with terrorist sympathies too.


Really?

[c31]

Credit to Souness for that he did lift some taboos.

[stoneyburn hibs]

Was just thinking its a sign of how far we've come as a community that an English ex Rangers player can be considered as Hibs manager without anyone batting an eyelid.

Imagine the outrage across the road if an Irish ex Celtic player was being touted as their next manager, sickbag would be in meltdown.

Discuss!

A very small minority would be upset, thats about it.

[andy70]

dont think it would go down well,

[CB_NO3]

Football has moved on. You only have to look at our manager to be to see that. A proud Englishman who has very little time for sectarian crap in Scotland. A proud Englishman who has worked for the Scottish national team. A proud Rangers captain who slagged the old firm for bullying smaller clubs. It does not matter where you come from or what religion you are. As folk have said even Rangers accepted Novo and big Lorenzo crossing themselves before games now and again.

In saying that, have Hearts ever had an Irish player from the South on their books? I cant think. Just curious to know the answer.

[joe breezy]

Really?

Yeah, really. I've got friends that would say they supported the IRA's armed struggle.

Although one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

For me both sides of that battle were terrorists.

[monarch]

Are you saying Butcher isn't a mason?

Butcher is not a mason. This is mentioned in his book. Only one of two Rangers captains who didn't join the brotherhood. Don't know who the other is.

[HibsNibs]

I think it helps that Butcher has got absolutely no time for Sevco's medieval sectarian garbage and the orcs hate him for it. If an arch hun was taking over at ER I think I'd have more of a problem.

[sambajustice]

Would depend on the celtic player. Hartley, Pressley then no it wouldnt be. I reckon there would be fair amount of displeasure if a well known irish catholic took over there, they are much more a "small rangers" than we are a "small celtic".

With Butcher did he not more or less renounce any loyalist pish he was caught up in at Rangers?? Im sure I read something about him basically just waking up one day and thinking "what is this pish im involved with?"

[Pretty Boy]

Couldn't give a toss who Butcher played for.

He never exactly bought into the whole hunnery thing anyway. He went there because he wanted to play European football and that wasn't available in England at the time.

[Ringothedog]

Football has moved on. You only have to look at our manager to be to see that. A proud Englishman who has very little time for sectarian crap in Scotland. A proud Englishman who has worked for the Scottish national team. A proud Rangers captain who slagged the old firm for bullying smaller clubs. It does not matter where you come from or what religion you are. As folk have said even Rangers accepted Novo and big Lorenzo crossing themselves before games now and again.

In saying that, have Hearts ever had an Irish player from the South on their books? I cant think. Just curious to know the answer.

Alan Maybury
Stephen Elliott

[pacorosssco]

On a simple level it doesn't bother, realistically with most ex Celtic and Rangers players I worry the mentality of the clubs rubs off on them or they grew up with it and they see Hibs as a stepping stone. Butcher seems to have well and truly distanced himself from the rubbish so no problems. Alex Miller openly spoke that he found some support never took to him because he was from the west. It will be an issue for some. Murdo Mcleod is a Hibs legend IMO but Stokes came to us to get to them.

Who cares. Not my first choice but good luck Terry Butcher. We need to move forward and find unity again. Still lots to play for.

[Chump]

Was just thinking its a sign of how far we've come as a community that an English ex Rangers player can be considered as Hibs manager without anyone batting an eyelid.

Imagine the outrage across the road if an Irish ex Celtic player was being touted as their next manager, sickbag would be in meltdown.

Discuss!

Nothing to discuss - we're not a bigoted bunch so we aren't coming from anywhere to get anywhere IMO.

If anyone still believes we have a real Irish connection and religion/politics plays even a remote part of what Hibs are all about then they will be in the acute minority and not worth bothering about!!

[Ringothedog]

Nothing to discuss - we're not a bigoted bunch so we aren't coming from anywhere to get anywhere IMO.

If anyone still believes we have a real Irish connection and religion/politics plays even a remote part of what Hibs are all about then they will be in the acute minority and not worth bothering about!!

We will always have an Irish connection, the name Hibernian and the colours green and white will ensure that. It is all about how we have matured and grown as support and football club to become the all encompassing open family club that we are now :flag:

[FranckSuzy]

The credentials required to be Hearts manager involve either being a nonce (think Rix), a jakey ned (think Fester). Or somebody who gets excited at the thought of being pished on (think Locke).

Anything different from the aforementioned would see them in a complete state of meltdown.

They're an odd bunch.

:lips seal :tee hee:

[CB_NO3]

Alan Maybury
Stephen Elliott
Nice one, cheers.

[Chump]

We will always have an Irish connection, the name Hibernian and the colours green and white will ensure that. It is all about how we have matured and grown as support and football club to become the all encompassing open family club that we are now :flag:

Don't get me wrong I'm interested in the history of Hibs and fully aware of the Irish connection but that is where it ends for me - as far as i'm concerned we are a Scottish Club, play in a Scottish league and have no strong irish affiliation any longer or for have done for a long, long time. There is no reason or benefit to suggest otherwise.

[Hibrandenburg]

So is the discussion point whether we think Hearts fans are a bunch of bigots? Pretty poor thread and no need for it in my opinion.

I think there is an element of the Hearts support that are bigoted and the tolerance for it is far greater over on kickback than it would be on here.

Maybe Hearts have moved on a bit since the dark ages but not nearly as much as we have. Think the demographics of our support has probably played a large role in this.

[Iggy Pope]

I honestly don't think the majority of Hearts fans would be bothered in the slightest if an Irishman who used to play for Celtic became their manager.


Me neither. They've taken a few of both types to their sweaty breasts in the past as players - Colquhoun, Maybury, Roddy MacDonald and an ageing rebel in the early 80s called Pat Byrne off the top of my head. And Joe Jordan I believe is a Celtic man although I am not certain of his orientation if you get me.



IMO, there's a lunatic fringe in the Hearts support who adhere to loyalist/Protestant/Rangers agenda, but they're a small and dwindling minority. I'd be surprised if there was widespread discontent at the appointment of any manager on the basis of his background at the PBS. As much as I love to hate Hearts, I don't think it's fair to cast them as simply a smaller version of Rangers.

Same goes for big Terrence. The fact he's an English ex-Hun makes no difference at all. It's what the man says and does that matters. If, on the other hand, he were an out and out bigot of the Andy Goram type, I wouldn't want him.

Probably the best and most decorated goalie any of us on here have seen in a Hibs jersey too. Sad.


Butcher is not a mason. This is mentioned in his book. Only one of two Rangers captains who didn't join the brotherhood. Don't know who the other is.

Maybe the long haired Italian fellah with the reportedly giant schlong and whose name escapes me? I would like to think it was Craig Paterson, but he looked like a hun the minute he left us!

[The Harp Awakes]

I remember speaking to Bobby Williamson when he was Hibs Manager. We were picking him up from Dublin airport to take him to a Dublin Hibs football forum in the City. In conversation he said that he felt that his Rangers past made it difficult for him to be accepted by an element of the Hibs support.

IMO, whilst there is an undeniable dislike of Rangers by most Hibs supporters, it won't be a problem for Terry. He is much respected and has distanced himself from all the Hun baggage in the past.

In similar circumstances I don't think Hearts fans would be any different.

[AndyM_1875]

Terry Butcher's autobiography demonstrated how little time he has for any of that sectarian rubbish.

He's massively influenced by his wife Rita who informed the big man that he was not born or brought up a Rangers fan (his team is Ipswich Town) and that she found the stuff surrounding Rangers distasteful, could never understand it and that he should steer well clear of it and not get sucked Into it like some players did (Goram).

And it's probably fair to say that if TB becomes our new manager we should have no fear of him making the same journey along the M8 in 2 years time as Alex McLeish. A quick look at some Rangers forums reveals they absolutely hate big Terry for what appears to be three main reasons.

1 Because he had the cheek to fire up his Inverness sides to hand Rangers their ***** on several occasions & shock horror he celebrated the wins with his teams

2 he has been quoted as saying "technically Rangers are a new club..." Uh oh!

3 the Autobiography section which lays bare the sectarian rubbish at the heart of that club (old or new or whatever) commenting on the signing of Maurice Johnston.
Extract below.....

Terry Butcher stated in his autobiography that the newly signed striker was treated as an outcast by his Scottish team mates at Ibrox.

Butcher explained: “It was [signing Johnston], as far as I was concerned, a fabulous signing for the club because Mo was such a good player, while Souness had achieved his ambition of beginning to break down the sectarian barriers at Ibrox. Our only doubt was we knew Mo was fiercely proud of being a Celtic fan and we wondered how he would settle. We need not have worried – he was terrific.

“Next day, the club wanted the Scottish and English players to hold a press conference to tell the media what a good signing he was. There was no problem as far as Ray Wilkins, Chris Woods, Mark Walters, I and some others were concerned. But the Scottish players – Davie Cooper, Ian Ferguson, Ally McCoist, John Brown and the rest – declined because they had received so many calls from friends telling them not to become involved.”

So Butcher outed the now Rangers manager Ally McCoist, as one of many players who took advice not to support a new team-mate because of his religion?

Rangers kitman Jimmy Bell, who is still at the club in the same capacity, also persecuted Johnston because of his religion. According to Butcher, Bell refused to leave Johnston’s training kit outside his hotel room during an Italian pre-season tour, yet he did with every other player.

Butcher added: “Jimmy Bell didn’t want to become involved at all. Mo roomed with Ally McCoist, as he had done for the national team, and it was Jimmy’s practice to put fresh kit outside everyone’s room for the next day. But he refused to do so for Mo, just leaving Ally’s, forcing Mo to go down three flights of stairs to the kit room to fetch his gear. Mo did so stoically and without complaint. In fact, in the end he made a joke about it.

“But this was a complete upheaval for the club. Even at meal-times there were a number of Scots who would not sit with him. What had happened to the moral high ground claimed by Rangers? They always used to say it was Celtic who were intolerant and unable to cope with the mixing of religions. Wrong.”

But not all at Ibrox would treat Johnston as an outcast, as a stain. In those early days, the English players treated Johnston the way he should have been treated – as a footballer – a signing that would go on to score 46 goals in 100 appearances over the course of two seasons at Ibrox before he left for Everton.

Butcher said: “There were no such difficulties for the English players, of course. All we knew was that we had signed a good player who was going to help us retain our title."

[erin go bragh]

Me neither. They've taken a few of both types to their sweaty breasts in the past as players - Colquhoun, Maybury, Roddy MacDonald and an ageing rebel in the early 80s called Pat Byrne off the top of my head. And Joe Jordan I believe is a Celtic man although I am not certain of his orientation if you get me.

Probably the best and most decorated goalie any of us on here have seen in a Hibs jersey too. Sad.



Maybe the long haired Italian fellah with the reportedly giant schlong and whose name escapes me? I would like to think it was Craig Paterson, but he looked like a hun the minute he left us!
That would be Lorenzo Amaruso . Forgive my spelling .

Ggtth

[Vini1875]

I think that is the difference between Butcher and Miller and Williamson. Butcher is an English guy with an obvious affection for Scotland who happened to play for the huns. Miller and Williamson were huns, born and bred who got into football management, neither distanced themselves from the hun traditions. I would say I am part of the minority who never really accepted either Miller or Williamson. I didn't boo or chant for them to get out either since they were part of the club I support, but I was not sad to see them go. I would be very pissed off to see someone like Goram anywhere near our club.

[Iggy Pope]

That would be Lorenzo Amaruso . Forgive my spelling .

Ggtth

That is the fellah. Wonder if he was the one that never knew how auld his granny was?

[Bostonhibby]

Terry Butcher's autobiography demonstrated how little time he has for any of that sectarian rubbish.

He's massively influenced by his wife Rita who informed the big man that he was not born or brought up a Rangers fan (his team is Ipswich Town) and that she found the stuff surrounding Rangers distasteful, could never understand it and that he should steer well clear of it and not get sucked Into it like some players did (Goram).

And it's probably fair to say that if TB becomes our new manager we should have no fear of him making the same journey along the M8 in 2 years time as Alex McLeish. A quick look at some Rangers forums reveals they absolutely hate big Terry for what appears to be three main reasons.

1 Because he had the cheek to fire up his Inverness sides to hand Rangers their ***** on several occasions & shock horror he celebrated the wins with his teams

2 he has been quoted as saying "technically Rangers are a new club..." Uh oh!

3 the Autobiography section which lays bare the sectarian rubbish at the heart of that club (old or new or whatever) commenting on the signing of Maurice Johnston.
Extract below.....

Terry Butcher stated in his autobiography that the newly signed striker was treated as an outcast by his Scottish team mates at Ibrox.

Butcher explained: “It was [signing Johnston], as far as I was concerned, a fabulous signing for the club because Mo was such a good player, while Souness had achieved his ambition of beginning to break down the sectarian barriers at Ibrox. Our only doubt was we knew Mo was fiercely proud of being a Celtic fan and we wondered how he would settle. We need not have worried – he was terrific.

“Next day, the club wanted the Scottish and English players to hold a press conference to tell the media what a good signing he was. There was no problem as far as Ray Wilkins, Chris Woods, Mark Walters, I and some others were concerned. But the Scottish players – Davie Cooper, Ian Ferguson, Ally McCoist, John Brown and the rest – declined because they had received so many calls from friends telling them not to become involved.”

So Butcher outed the now Rangers manager Ally McCoist, as one of many players who took advice not to support a new team-mate because of his religion?

Rangers kitman Jimmy Bell, who is still at the club in the same capacity, also persecuted Johnston because of his religion. According to Butcher, Bell refused to leave Johnston’s training kit outside his hotel room during an Italian pre-season tour, yet he did with every other player.

Butcher added: “Jimmy Bell didn’t want to become involved at all. Mo roomed with Ally McCoist, as he had done for the national team, and it was Jimmy’s practice to put fresh kit outside everyone’s room for the next day. But he refused to do so for Mo, just leaving Ally’s, forcing Mo to go down three flights of stairs to the kit room to fetch his gear. Mo did so stoically and without complaint. In fact, in the end he made a joke about it.

“But this was a complete upheaval for the club. Even at meal-times there were a number of Scots who would not sit with him. What had happened to the moral high ground claimed by Rangers? They always used to say it was Celtic who were intolerant and unable to cope with the mixing of religions. Wrong.”

But not all at Ibrox would treat Johnston as an outcast, as a stain. In those early days, the English players treated Johnston the way he should have been treated – as a footballer – a signing that would go on to score 46 goals in 100 appearances over the course of two seasons at Ibrox before he left for Everton.

Butcher said: “There were no such difficulties for the English players, of course. All we knew was that we had signed a good player who was going to help us retain our title."

Excellent post, a reminder of why Fergie would never return to manage the now deceased Glasgow Rangers. And probably why wee sally McMoist is still managing the Zombie club and no one else wants him.they remain in a time warp.

[RIP Bestie]

Was just thinking its a sign of how far we've come as a community that an English ex Rangers player can be considered as Hibs manager without anyone batting an eyelid.

Imagine the outrage across the road if an Irish ex Celtic player was being touted as their next manager, sickbag would be in meltdown.

Discuss!
This is the sort of sectarian nonsense we can do without. Who gives a **** what religion, nationality, colour or previous employer Butcher favours? Who's really interested in what Hearts would accept as a manager? We haven't come very far as a community if you have thought about starting a discussion like this.

[CB_NO3]

This is the sort of sectarian nonsense we can do without. Who gives a **** what religion, nationality, colour or previous employer Butcher favours? Who's really interested in what Hearts would accept as a manager? We haven't come very far as a community if you have thought about starting a discussion like this.
TBF the OP has not made a sectarian post. You look silly for suggesting that. He made a valid point about how far Hibs have progressed as a club in getting away from racism and sactarian crap, and you not what he is 100% correct, we have made huge progress as a club, not that we were ever that bad, but we got away from the pro irish crap and we welcome anyone to ER.

[RIP Bestie]

TBF the OP has not made a sectarian post. You look silly for suggesting that. He made a valid point about how far Hibs have progressed as a club in getting away from racism and sactarian crap, and you not what he is 100% correct, we have made huge progress as a club, not that we were ever that bad, but we got away from the pro irish crap and we welcome anyone to ER.
Comparing us welcoming Butcher to what they would do at the other side of town is not showing how far we have came. In 40 years of supporting Hibs religion has never been a driver for me and in my opinion it has never been a big problem at ER, to be fair it's only in the last few years it has become a big thing with our neighbours. My point is that making an issue of this shows that it is in the forefront of some peoples minds in Scottish Football and it's sad that we have to use this sort of sectarianism or lack of sectarianism to point score over them.

[nonshinyfinish]

Rangers kitman Jimmy Bell, who is still at the club in the same capacity, also persecuted Johnston because of his religion. According to Butcher, Bell refused to leave Johnston’s training kit outside his hotel room during an Italian pre-season tour, yet he did with every other player.

Butcher added: “Jimmy Bell didn’t want to become involved at all. Mo roomed with Ally McCoist, as he had done for the national team, and it was Jimmy’s practice to put fresh kit outside everyone’s room for the next day. But he refused to do so for Mo, just leaving Ally’s, forcing Mo to go down three flights of stairs to the kit room to fetch his gear. Mo did so stoically and without complaint. In fact, in the end he made a joke about it.

This kind of stuff leaves me completely baffled. While I don't agree with it - quite the opposite, I vehemently oppose it - I can see how folk get caught up in the sectarian stuff from one side or the other, because it's basically about being in a gang and feeling safe. And I think it's probably really easy to say that you hate Proddies or Caffliks, or even just Huns or Tims, when most of the time you won't actually encounter the other half. But to work with a guy every day, and still to refuse to treat him like everyone else, is just staggering.

I don't have the words to express the contempt I have for this prick.

[Hibrandenburg]

Comparing us welcoming Butcher to what they would do at the other side of town is not showing how far we have came. In 40 years of supporting Hibs religion has never been a driver for me and in my opinion it has never been a big problem at ER, to be fair it's only in the last few years it has become a big thing with our neighbours. My point is that making an issue of this shows that it is in the forefront of some peoples minds in Scottish Football and it's sad that we have to use this sort of sectarianism or lack of sectarianism to point score over them.

Nothing to do with point scoring. I had 2 intentions when starting the thread:

The first intention was to highlight how far we've come as a community in 40 years. I remember getting caught up in sectarian singalongs at ER as a wee boy and I'm supposedly protestant. The bigots had a free hand back then and nobody would have batted an eyelid at bigoted chanting back then whereas now it would get shouted down immediately.

My second intention was to try and flush out some undercover yams on here.

I'll leave you to decide if that worked :wink:

[Jonny1875]

We will always have an Irish connection, the name Hibernian and the colours green and white will ensure that. It is all about how we have matured and grown as support and football club to become the all encompassing open family club that we are now :flag:

Agree. Its only that im Irish that ive real interest in the Hibs connection with Ireland, if I was Scottish I doubt id care. However I see no harm in promoting our Irish heritage to get more support from less brainwashed football fans on this lovely island.

[marinello59]

Agree. Its only that im Irish that ive real interest in the Hibs connection with Ireland, if I was Scottish I doubt id care. However I see no harm in promoting our Irish heritage to get more support from less brainwashed football fans on this lovely island.

We are struggling to get people from Edinburgh to attend , I don't see why fans from Ireland with more interest in the English Premiership would flock to us in significant numbers.

[Hibernia&Alba]

We are struggling to get people from Edinburgh to attend , I don't see why fans from Ireland with more interest in the English Premiership would flock to us in significant numbers.

We don't have the profile to compete with the EPL and Celtic for Irish support, sadly. I'd love to see our Irish fanbase grow. Getting a few of the many Irish citizens currently in Scotland would be a start, but Celtic grab them all.

[Jonny1875]

We are struggling to get people from Edinburgh to attend , I don't see why fans from Ireland with more interest in the English Premiership would flock to us in significant numbers.
I dont think its Hibs fault tho,maybe if the spl was a bit more than a Celtic walkover people would support and like other teams.

[RIP Bestie]

Nothing to do with point scoring. I had 2 intentions when starting the thread:

The first intention was to highlight how far we've come as a community in 40 years. I remember getting caught up in sectarian singalongs at ER as a wee boy and I'm supposedly protestant. The bigots had a free hand back then and nobody would have batted an eyelid at bigoted chanting back then whereas now it would get shouted down immediately.

My second intention was to try and flush out some undercover yams on here.

I'll leave you to decide if that worked :wink:
What a really grown up and clever thing to do.
Question someone's position as a Hibs fan because their opinion doesn't match yours.
Your parents must be so proud.

[Scouse Hibee]

This is one of those only in Scotland discussions. I'm out.

[Kato]

it's only in the last few years it has become a big thing with our neighbours.

Sorry, had to laugh at that one. To most jambos, religion means nothing. Like every club though, they attract their loons and there are plenty who get their cheapies using the religious thing - that aspect has ALWAYS followed them around from their inception. Hibs started up because the original members couldn't get a game with other clubs in Edinbugrh due to their religion. For some of jambos their most hated manager is still James Mcghee and he was hated at the time as well. Some of that was down to him being ex-Hibs and having a "colourful past" in fixtures with them as a player but there was, and will be for them hating on him today, a religious tone to their hatred. Like Hibs they had their "party song" catalogue in the 60's-80's and while we've wiped those songs off the terrace they still sing their version of the "Billy Boys" replete with "Fenian" tag line. Can't say it bothers me, let's you spot the bammers straight of.



This is one of those only in Scotland discussions. I'm out.


Sad, eh. Bigotry exists everywhere, Scouse. Here it's nothing to do with religion, just wee gangs who pretend and hide behind sects and pseudo Irish politics to petty point score. There's a history of deliberate "divide and rule" tactics behind some of it - after WWI and a near Communist revolution in Glasgow bringing in hard-line OO Protestants as work emigres to the ship-yards gave the populace something other than politics to take up their time and helped the Unionist vote. Heseltine used "Home Rule is Rome Rule" in a speech made in Scotland during the 1990 general election, a slogan used as Anti-Catholic scaremongering as far back as the 1870's Stupid that it still goes on today, people should see through it for what it is.

[Hibs Giant]

I think there is an element of the Hearts support that are bigoted and the tolerance for it is far greater over on kickback than it would be on here.

Maybe Hearts have moved on a bit since the dark ages but not nearly as much as we have. Think the demographics of our support has probably played a large role in this.

I strongly agree with you. I'm really surprised at how many are knocking the idea. Not sure about our demographics at Hibs, so much as the genuine foresight of the club and the fans to move on. The same changes have been much slower at Hearts, and are still ongoing.

Good thread.