Proselytizing on the Pitch: The Story of the Old Firm
By: Marshall Berton
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in the Spring 2019 magazine.
Sports fans often have a near-religious devotion to their teams, but two of Scotland’s top tier football (soccer) clubs, Celtic F.C. and Rangers F.C., have given new meaning to the term fanaticism. Their rivalry, known as the Old Firm, has been heralded as one of the fiercest in sporting history. The two Glasgow-based teams played their first match in the late nineteenth century, and have developed a hatred for one another ever since. However, the true reason their feud on the field has become so controversial is due to the intense religious divides between their respective fan bases.
In 1887, Celtic F.C. was established by members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church located in the Calton district of Glasgow. The purpose of the club was to alleviate poverty in Glasgow’s East End. In 1888, Celtic played its first match against Rangers F.C., a crosstown club established over a decade earlier in 1873. The nature of the battle on the pitch was taken to new extremes, when in 1912, large contingencies of Protestants began moving to Glasgow for work in its booming shipping industry, transforming Rangers F.C. forever into a Protestant club.
As the decades passed, both fanbases began to entrench religious and regional values into their identities as supporters of their clubs. The fanbase of Celtic is largely composed of Irish people as well as Scots of Irish descent, whereas Rangers is largely made up of people of Scottish or Northern Irish descent. The two clubs chose their colors on the basis of their national identity, with Celtic wearing green and white in support of the Irish tricolor flag, while Rangers selected blue and red in support of the Union Jack. As political tensions rose between the Catholics and Protestants of Glasgow, so too did the hatred among members of both fanbases.
The battle between Catholics and Protestants in Glasgow extended far beyond the football field, bleeding into politics and everyday life. The Irish Troubles became a particularly contentious issue among members of both fanbases, as politics on the issue were split largely along religious lines. The main question associated with the Irish Troubles was that of the status of Northern Ireland. Protestants were primarily Unionists/Loyalists who believed that Northern Ireland should remain a part of the United Kingdom, while Catholics were mainly Nationalists/Republicans who wanted Northern Ireland to leave the U.K. and join a united Ireland. Consequentially, supporters of Celtic proudly backed the Irish Republican Army (IRA), while fans of Rangers viewed the IRA as a terrorist organization.
The history of Protestant vs Catholic and Republican vs. Loyalist feuds in Scotland continued to fuel the rivalry between Celtic and Rangers. As Scottish politics became increasingly complicated with regard to the Troubles, so too did the nature of the rivalry between these two clubs. This was perhaps best embodied by Rangers F.C.’s unwritten rule not to sign Catholic players. This trend was finally broken by Mo Johnston’s controversial signing with the club in 1989. Nevertheless, it signaled a major first step in attempting to curb the bitter sectarian hatred that has fueled this storied rivalry for over a century.
In the modern era, the Scottish government has attempted to crack down on religious hostility expressed at football matches. In 2011, Scottish Parliament passed the Offensive Behavior at Football and Threatening Communications Act, which targeted hateful speech and actions at football matches across Scotland. The act was found to unfairly target football fans, leading to its demise in both Parliament and the court of public opinion. Therefore, the act was repealed in 2018 by a margin of just two votes. Despite ongoing legislative action, it is still a challenge to maintain a safe and enjoyable experience for all patrons of the Old Firm. For many families with children, attending the Old Firm is unfeasible considering the potential dangers of the event, as well as the sectarian chants that are shouted among supporters of both clubs. Both Celtic and Rangers have made attempts to quell the offensive rhetoric often associated with this rivalry, but part of what makes the Old Firm such a special match is the historical basis of the feud. As reported by Al Jazeera, the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow calculated that the Old Firm is worth approximately 170 million dollars to the Scottish economy. By instituting strict policies that limit speech among supporter groups, the Scottish government risks damaging the lucrative nature of this event.
A compromise must be forged between casual fans and intense supporters of both clubs. Measures have already been taken to prevent conflict, including the ban of alcohol sales at all Scottish football matches. In addition, the Scottish Football Association attempts to schedule the Old Firm during the daytime, in order to prevent fans from drinking all day for an evening game. In order to create a safe yet spirited atmosphere, physical violence of any kind must be condemned. The Glasgow Police attempt to separate home and away fans at all costs, but nevertheless, most Old Firm matches result in the injury of a number of spectators as well as occasional deaths.
The Scottish government as well as the public must attempt to preserve the Celtic and Rangers rivalry in its true form. It represents the pinnacle of football both in Scotland and around the world. Combined, Celtic and Rangers have won 103 Scottish League Championships, and the last time a non-Old Firm club won the League was in 1985. The government must work with the owners, leadership, players, and fans of both clubs to create reasonable limits on what should be allowed to occur at Old Firm matches. It is crucial for the sake of the fans, the football community, and the continued prosperity of the world’s strongest football rivalry that the Old Firm be preserved in all of its glory.
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