Celtic or Rangers for an Englishman?

But yes, Celtic are certainly not in favour at United the way they used to be. I wouldn't say there's an anti-Irish feeling because we have thousands of Irish fans but we're definitely against those who support or condone the IRA. Celtic have shown themselves up as terrorist sympathisers, no question about that. There's still a few at United who have some affinity for Celtic definitely but most of that has (thankfully) died out.

I remember reading somewhere that United were historically considered the Catholic club in Manchester as a lot of the Irish immigrants supported them and City were the the Protestant club. Obviously it's a massive generalisation but as someone from Manchester do you reckon there's any truth to that?

I know that old Red nose himself isn't particularly fond of rangers though despite his background as a protestant from Glasgow. He grew up a fan and played for them but apparently they got rid of him because his wife is catholic, and he (quite justifiably) has hated them ever since. Lot of the Irish in North London have an affinity with Celtic but I've never been able to warm to them because of the IRA sympathy some of their fans have, and the blatantly anti-British sentiment (booing on remembrance day etc) a lot of their supporters display.

Know plenty of Irish gooners in London and have never heard a peep of anti-British sentiment outside of friendly banter.

Neither. My fault for being unclear. Never heard any Pro-IRA or anti British sentiment from the Irish in London or any Irish gooners. I'm talking about SOME of their fans in scotland and actions like refusing to wear poppies and booing during the minute's silence on Remembrance day at Parkhead.

yeah true. No doubt plenty of Celtic fans are raging anti-Brits but at the same time given the history in Norther Ireland I wouldnt expect them to be madly in love with the army. I probably wouldnt be either so that's never really bothered me tbh.

Rangers every time. The majority of Celtic fans are plastic paddies who seem to be almost shamed that their club is based in Glasgow rather than Dublin, protest against their club selling Remembrance poppies, and support an organisation which committed terrorist attacks against their own country.

Rangers fans hold equally questionable views on the other side but are at least true to their own nationality rather than pretending to be something else.

yeah true. No doubt plenty of Celtic fans are raging anti-Brits but at the same time given the history in Norther Ireland I wouldnt expect them to be madly in love with the army. I probably wouldnt be either so that's never really bothered me tbh.

Any kind of IRA support is unacceptable to me though, although tbh I've never really seen any of that from Celtic fans although i'm sure it exists. When Arsenal played Celtic in the CL a few years back they must have sang 100 songs but none were even remotely IRA connected AFAIK.

None, they are both disgusting clubs.



The numpties who watch matches on streams would. There's the old friendship they had years ago and the fact Man U were going to be called Manchester Celtic originally. However the real matchgoers cannot stand Celtic. There's a lot of anti-Irish in their support, partly stemming from when the IRA bombed Manchester. Add to that Celtic also have a friendship with Liverpool and sing YNWA... easy to see where the hate and conflict comes from.

Just putting it out there, Celtic are based in Glasgow and always have been-did someone smuggle Parkhead out to Dublin in the meantime?

The same way some Rangers fans are based in Glasgow and support the UVF in Belfast?

I don't see Rangers fans covering themselves in shamrocks worshipping those who bombed their own nation.


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No, they just show their support for organisations that kill innocents on foreign soil. Rangers can't claim the moral high ground at all.

This isn't about the moral high ground and I haven't condoned sectarianism on either side. Fact remains that we're choosing between the lesser of two evils and I'll never understand why so many Celtic fans pretend to be Irish and positively dislike their own country. It makes no sense.

More to the point the IRA has murdered its own on its own ground as well as innocents in a foreign country.

Why are you being ignorant of the links between Ireland and Celtic? It's not hard to see why they might then hold a grudge against the British establishment. Even I can see why and I'm not Irish. It's quite shocking how many British people are ignorant of the atrocities that we've committed in various countries. It's not even just a historical thing either. It's been happening in Iraq.

Both clubs have scummy elements to their support. I wouldn't say Celtic are the lesser of two evils, the opposite if anything.

This should no way mean that they can sing songs glorifying the IRA (the provisional IRA anyway who were nothing more than murderers). Anyone who does that is a ****ing knobhead imo.

I have to say, I'm finding some of what you guys say to be astonishing. There is a severe lack of passion in English football, from the very bottom right to the top. English football is quite simply a very successful business, it's incredibly well financed, well run and well supported by its vast and well populated nation. Give Rangers or Celtic the same opportunities, financially, then I could only imagine the impact they'd have on European football. I'd imagine for example that there fans would not except have a 'good run' in the champions league, in fact they'd expect them to win the champions league, year in year out. Two massively supported clubs with the budgets and competition of the EPL, my god it would be scary. You only have to go back to the 80's, when at least 7 of England's national starting 11 played for Rangers. Why did these players choose to play in Scotland?. Why did they choose to play for rangers?. And what was there opinion of playing for rangers?. Have a look for yourself, I think you'd be surprised. Now the gap is huge between north and south of the border, but only financially, the passion for football is still at home north of the border. I think personally we could learn a lot from them, problem is were so scared to stop this financial rollacoaster that were on.

I have to say, I'm finding some of what you guys say to be astonishing. There is a severe lack of passion in English football, from the very bottom right to the top. English football is quite simply a very successful business, it's incredibly well financed, well run and well supported by its vast and well populated nation. Give Rangers or Celtic the same opportunities, financially, then I could only imagine the impact they'd have on European football. I'd imagine for example that there fans would not except have a 'good run' in the champions league, in fact they'd expect them to win the champions league, year in year out. Two massively supported clubs with the budgets and competition of the EPL, my god it would be scary. You only have to go back to the 80's, when at least 7 of England's national starting 11 played for Rangers. Why did these players choose to play in Scotland?. Why did they choose to play for rangers?. And what was there opinion of playing for rangers?. Have a look for yourself, I think you'd be surprised. Now the gap is huge between north and south of the border, but only financially, the passion for football is still at home north of the border. I think personally we could learn a lot from them, problem is were so scared to stop this financial rollacoaster that were on.