There’s a difference between pure support and something that drags the club into a mess. Too many joined in with those IRA songs on Sunday — not a handful, but thousands — and that’s the problem. It’s not just noise; it’s reputation, risk and a scar on what should be a proud matchday.
Where it went wrong
To be fair, there was a time when that sort of behaviour was called out and stopped. People who shouted HHWARTBBs were told to pipe down. Lately it’s crept back and been shrugged off as atmosphere. But atmosphere isn’t an excuse for something that makes the club look bad or puts fans at risk. You can get behind the team without repeating chants that lead to trouble.
The UB and the wider crowd
Yes, the UB have a big voice and a routine. But when that routine contains songs that many find offensive, and the wider crowd joins in — 7.5k singing on top of 40k in the ground, as some people have pointed out — it becomes a collective responsibility. If that’s accepted as ‘part of the match,’ where does it stop? I’d honestly prefer silence to listening to something that feels like a dirge and drags us into controversy.
What needs to change
Blaming one group alone misses the bigger picture. Yes, those involved on Sunday were culpable, but there were moments before the final incident where things could have been managed better. Stewards, club messaging and a clearer stance from the top all have a role. Fans who care about the badge should be honest — if something’s wrong, call it out. Don’t normalise chants that cause problems. Simple as that.
We support Rangers through thick and thin, but support shouldn’t be a shield for behaviour that harms the club. If we want the good atmosphere, keep it within the game and off the stuff that leads to scenes and headlines we’d rather not have.
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