The Famine Song: Surely Something to Celebrate?

It is with some dismay that I again read about an SPL "observer" apparently reporting Rangers' supporters for what the BBC calls "unacceptable behavior."

Now aside from the veracity of this claim, and how the BBC seems to know about it before the SPL does, it seems quite remarkable that in the aftermath of another Glasgow derby, we find that the only controversy worth talking about is a song that contains no swearing, names no players, their wives or mothers or their untimely deaths, mentions no other club, official or even alludes to religion.

Extraordinary, what has happened to us?

This is as hideous as we can be now?

In April 1909, the Rangers and Celtic battled in the Scottish Cup Final. The first match ended in a draw although the Celtics equalizer should never have stood apparently.

When the replay was staged at Hampden it again ended in a draw. Many in the crowd believed extra time needed to be played; however, that wasn’t the case and as the players trooped off, the fans, feeling short changed and that they were being taken for mugs, decided enough was enough.

The pitch invasion and subsequent riot that ensued has been variously called a "slaughter house’" and the "blackest page in Scottish football."

Fans set fire to Hampden, attacked and repelled the police, and the fire brigade, and attempted to reach the dressing rooms, the players, and officials inside.

It is reported that over 50 policemen were injured, all the turnstiles at Hampden were torched, wooden sleepers used on terraces were uprooted and burnt and mounted police reinforcements were kept at bay with bricks and bottles. This all happened because fans felt the SFA were fixing the results.

A couple of remarkable things leap out from this story. First, it seems that both sets of supporters joined together in the riot, seeing "authority" as a common enemy. Second, both clubs were awarded £150 by the SFA after the riot as a third replay didn’t take place.

Now, that happened exactly 100 years ago this spring. I think it is fair to say we’ve moved on a fair bit from then. So why is the media's reaction to what is reported to have been sung on Sunday so strangely out of kilter with reality.

I’ve yet to see the statistics for arrests on Sunday, but I’d be astonished if more than 20 were made during the entire match, inside and outside the ground. There certainly wasn’t a riot, despite the poor performance from both teams, I’d hate to see the reaction if there ever was. Some people might have sung a song that doesn’t slander anyone.

Isn’t it great that this is all we’re talking about, look how far we’ve come.