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Celtic or Rangers for an Englishman?

Nearly all of my Arsenal mates prefer Celtic and only one has Irish connections. Personally, I'm from Islington and really enjoy the atmosphere in the Iirsh pubs round here but also the fans seem to be such a laugh, but is this a general trend?
Having said that, I imagine other parts of London are less Irish and more pro-rangers.

In Holland Celtic have a better rep than Rangers as well, bizarely after all the protestant **** they go on about

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Personally, I was probably abit too young when Arsenal met Celtic in the CL but the legend lives on. No Probs vs Rangers fans either but they do come across as racist and more inclusive...
(edited 11 years ago)

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Reply 1
I think more English people would say Rangers if you asked them to pick one or the other but no one really cares about Scottish football either way I don't think. Rangers have a historical tie to Arsenal because they held shares for decades till they got sold to usmanov in the administration. I am from a Catholic family so if I had to pick I would say Celtic but I don't give a **** about either and even though the passion is something to be admired a lot of the carrying on around old firm games is a disgrace
Reply 2
When it comes to Scottish football I'm a Rangers fan, but purely because it was the club my grandfather supported. I think that a lot of English fans don't give a crap about the sectarian nonsense and prefer Celtic because at the moment they are playing better football.
Celtic represents the Anti British, Catholic, IRA supporting side. Whereas Rangers are Pro British, Protestant, Unionist.

Obviously these are stereotypes, but an average Englishman would support Rangers.

(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 4
Don't really give a monkeys, but Rangers simply because they're on the right side of the sectarian divide :wink:
Reply 5
Always preferred Celtic tbh
It's quite an interesting topic, and I think it depends a lot on where you're from in England and what club you support (e.g. I believe Chelsea fans prefer Rangers, Manchester United fans would probably prefer Celtic, someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). But on the whole, I'd say that most English fans don't like either club and find the culture of both Old Firm clubs to be detestable. Obviously this isn't consistent for every English fan, but I think it's a fair assumption to say that the majority are either indifferent to them or dislike both.
None, they are both disgusting clubs.

Original post by Stu Laverty
It's quite an interesting topic, and I think it depends a lot on where you're from in England and what club you support (e.g. I believe Chelsea fans prefer Rangers, Manchester United fans would probably prefer Celtic, someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).


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.
Original post by Wilfred Little
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.


Ah, thank you for correcting me. I assumed because of what Rangers did in '08 (plus Celtic being chosen for some testimonials, IIRC) that Man Utd fans would prefer Celtic, but fair enough if that's not the case.
Original post by Stu Laverty
Ah, thank you for correcting me. I assumed because of what Rangers did in '08 (plus Celtic being chosen for some testimonials, IIRC) that Man Utd fans would prefer Celtic, but fair enough if that's not the case.


Both clubs are full of yobs (I know all clubs have a scummy undercurrent but these two take it a bit further than most.) Some of the stuff that gets chanted at the Old Firm games is sickening, and remember the minute's silence the Celtic fans failed to observe a few years ago on Remembrance Sunday? I mean there are numerous people who've even been stabbed after these games, neither club can claim the moral high ground over this yet they spend all their time squabbling between each other about who started what first.

The testimonials are probably down to the fact Man U have a lot of ex-Irish players (still Irish actually, but no longer playing for Man U :tongue: ). Irwin, Keane, McGrath, and then club legends who've played for both teams like Lou Macari, Paddy Crerand, Brian McClair, Keane again actually. So professionally there probably is a mutual respect.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 10
Celtic, but probably because I'm Catholic.
I don't really have any interest in the SPL but I would normally sit and watch the old firm derbies between two of Scotland's most successful teams. This season, that hasn't and will not happen but overall if I had to choose a preference between the two, then yeah it would be Celtic. But seriously I could never like a team that played a cheating mug like Kyle Lafferty in their team, week in week out. So, that's why I've never has any sympathy or credit for Rangers' ever. P.S Celtic provide us with more sensational footballing moments such as in Europe. Like when Martin O'Niell masterminded a 4-3 win over Juventus in 2001 to open thier account, and take for example today where Celtic were 3-1 down to Aberdeen after an hour and ended up fighting back for the 4-3 win. Incredible! Whilst Rangers' style of football' has always been kind if boring to watch at times and amid-paced. They were much better in 2008 and 2009, reaching the UEFA Cup final and of course who can forget the 3-0 win over Lyon in France in the champions league. Well, both teams certainly have had they fair share of glory but Celtic appear to be more like the kings of scotland with no real threat anymore and rangers have just
become minnows. Also, I'm friends with an English-born Rangers fan, he lives around my area, haven't seen him in a while but I should find out the real reason as to why he supports them. Also, any English Celtic or Rangers' fans here??
Reply 12
There's a lot of people in North London with Irish ethnicity who natually enough incline towards Celtic. Plus Arsenal used to have a lot of Irish players (David O'Leary etc).


But anyway, Celtic fans would NEVER EVER riot like some Rangers fans done in Manchester. I really don't know why Cletic are grouped with Rangers when their biggest crime is singing a secretarian song vs. rangers violence.
Original post by Stu Laverty
Ah, thank you for correcting me. I assumed because of what Rangers did in '08 (plus Celtic being chosen for some testimonials, IIRC) that Man Utd fans would prefer Celtic, but fair enough if that's not the case.


Original post by Wilfred Little
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.


Both Scottish teams are pretty well hated in Manchester these days. Rangers scumbaggery when they played the 2008 UEFA Cup final caused a lot of damage which had a financial impact on the city and prevented us from having a parade for the European Cup. Our Moscow win is the only european trophy in our clubs history that wasn't paraded, and Rangers still get the blame for that.

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.
Original post by IanDangerously
Both Scottish teams are pretty well hated in Manchester these days. Rangers scumbaggery when they played the 2008 UEFA Cup final caused a lot of damage which had a financial impact on the city and prevented us from having a parade for the European Cup. Our Moscow win is the only european trophy in our clubs history that wasn't paraded, and Rangers still get the blame for that.


Nice insight mate. That must have really pissed you lot off as well, really is ridiculous that Manchester city council abandoned the parade over that. I think though, the trashing of Manchester would have happened had it been Celtic as well and possibly loads of other clubs, didn't the big screen fail? Both scumbag clubs anyway in my opinion.

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.


"A lot" was probably a bit over the top admittedly but my experiences with Man. Utd fans (the real ones who go regularly) is that they absolutely detest the day trippers (understandable) and a large portion of them tend to be Irish so I think that's where I've got that impression from, plus like you say the IRA thing won't go down well considering what happened. I don't think Man. Utd fans are all ignorant of course, but all clubs have an element of ****wittery in their support.
Original post by IanDangerously
Both Scottish teams are pretty well hated in Manchester these days. Rangers scumbaggery when they played the 2008 UEFA Cup final caused a lot of damage which had a financial impact on the city and prevented us from having a parade for the European Cup. Our Moscow win is the only european trophy in our clubs history that wasn't paraded, and Rangers still get the blame for that.

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.


By the sounds of your second paragraph it sounds as though there used to be some affinity between Celtic and United. Is this the case, and if so when did Manchester start to dislike them? I'm really intrigued about this sort of thing.
I think Scottish football is a joke tbh, prefer Celtic because of the Irish connection but don't particularly like either*
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.
Reply 18
Both are disgusting clubs.
Reply 19
Original post by Fusion

But anyway, Celtic fans would NEVER EVER riot like some Rangers fans done in Manchester. I really don't know why Cletic are grouped with Rangers when their biggest crime is singing a secretarian song vs. rangers violence.


Such naivety :*)

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