Sectarianism In Football

Sectarianism can be defined as the excessive attachment to a particular sect or party, which is an appropriate term to use when characterising the fanaticism of Celtic and Rangers. When these opposing factions of Christianity face off, hatred is shared in equal tandem, blood is spilled and lives have previously been lost as a result of these  two rival clubs playing each other, in what has come to be known as the Old Firm Derby. The two Glaswegian clubs represent two different cultures and ways of life; Celtic asseverate themselves as Catholic, Republican Irish-Scots meanwhile Rangers identify as Protestant, Loyalist, native Scots. The divide between the two clubs stretches far beyond religion and national identity as the two clubs strive for dominance at the pinnacle of Scottish football.  

The intense rivalry between Celtic and Rangers not only stems from the desire to ascertain sporting dominance over the other, but primarily due to a British sectarian divide which has had a microcosm in Glasgow from the 19th century onwards. Scotland itself had identified as Roman Catholic from as early as the 5th century, however the Scottish reformation in the 16th century adopted Presbyterianism, a section of reformed Protestantism and was subsequently solidified as the state-sponsored religion in 1707 following Scotland’s unification with Britain. 

Segregation had plagued the Scottish community - particularly in Glasgow - where there was a mass influx of Irish immigrants following the Great Famine from 1845-1849. This catastrophe left one million people dead and resulted in the migration of a further one million Irish people. However, this was not seen as an ‘Irish’ problem because their labourers had emigrated to Scotland on a yearly basis for farming work prior to the famine. Rather, this was seen as a Catholic versus Protestant divide as Irish-Protestants were able to settle and adapt comfortably in cities such as Glasgow, Aberdeen, Motherwell and Dundee. Catholicism has been seen as the enemy of Protestantism since Martin Luther outlined the abuses of the Catholic church in his ‘Ninety-Five Theses’ work in 1517, thus leading to the reformation of Catholicism and the founding of the Evangelical Church. Although the battle between Catholics and Protestants was not solely a Scottish issue, it was especially perpetuated within Glasgow, as competition for housing and jobs increased due to the mass influx of Irish-Catholics. 

Rangers Football Club was subsequently founded in 1872 and was somewhat arrogated by Scottish Protestants who were looking to embody a sense of national identity. Celtic was later founded in 1887 as a means of providing income for the financially impoverished families residing within the Irish-Catholic community in Glasgow, with the name ‘Celtic’ being chosen to pay homage to their Irish roots. The first match between the two sides was a friendly in 1888, which ended in a comprehensive 5-2 victory for Celtic. The name ‘Old Firm Derby’ is said to stem from this initial fixture, which was phrased as being a “meeting between two old, firm friends”.

With Rangers being supported by mostly Protestant Loyalists who identified themselves as being British-Scots, Celtic became the club supported by Catholic Republicans who distinguished themselves as Irish-Scots. Thus the religious, cultural and political differences surrounding national identity were born. As the years went by these polarities deepened, particularly in the 1970s due to the emergence of the Irish Republican Army, or IRA, who were founded as a Irish Republican paramilitary organisation and sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland. 

Celtic fans were known to show solidarity with the IRA and often performed chants such as the ‘Celtic Symphony’ which include the words “Ooh ah up the Ra” and ‘Boys Of The Old Brigade’, in which the lyrics “When being just a lad like you, I joined the IRA”. In retaliation, Rangers fans chanted songs such as ‘No Surrender’, which contain the lyrics “Keep me English until my dying day” followed by the chorus of “No surrender to the IRA scum” and ‘The Billy Boys’, which include lyrics “Up to our knees in Fenian blood”. Despite Scottish legislation banning certain songs that glorified the IRA or anti-Fenian sentiment, the chants continue to be heard on the concourses at the Ibrox Stadium and Celtic Park as the Old Firm Derby added yet another political string to its divisive bow. 

Moreover, the vehement rivalry that exists between the two sides also harbours sporting elements as the two Glaswegian clubs battle it out for honours at the zenith of Scottish football. Between the two clubs, they have won all but 19 Scottish League Championships, with Rangers winning 54 compared to Celtic’s 51. Rangers have won 33 Scottish Cups compared to Celtic’s 40 and the ‘Gers have won 27 Scottish League Cups, with the Bhoys’ winning a further 19. Both teams have secured seven domestic trebles each and Celtic became the first and only Scottish side to become champions of Europe, winning the 1966/67 European Cup under Jock Stein after beating Inter Milan 2-1 at the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon. Statistically, Rangers are the second most successful football club in the world behind only Egyptian side Al Ahly (118) with 115 titles to their name. On the other side of Glasgow, Celtic reside in fourth place with 109 titles and thus exemplifies why the rivalry is so tense, as both clubs aim to add to their honours list and battle it out to be Scottish football’s premier side.

The on-field battle has also produced acts of violence that have been perpetrated by both sides with a number of vicious assaults occurring before, during and after Old Firm meetings. During a 2-2 draw between the two sides on the 17th October 1987, three red cards were shown and four players were subsequently charged with breaching the peace which led to 62 fan arrests, two of the players (Chris Woods and Terry Butcher) were later convicted and fined. During another instance in 2000, Rangers midfielder and club captain Barry Ferguson was involved in a violent brawl with Celtic fans outside of a Lancashire pub following his sides 6-2 loss that same day. In 1980 during a Scottish Cup final at Hampden, hundreds of opposing fans invaded the pitch during a drunken and brutal confrontation that was later described as one of the worst pitch invasions ever recorded and which eventually led to alcohol being banned from football stadiums across Scotland. The battle has even spilled onto the touchline when in 2011, Celtic manager Neill Lennon and then Rangers boss Ally McCoist squared up to each other and had to be separated by police. 

Sadly, the fierce nature of the rivalry between Celtic and Rangers has resulted in death on a number of occasions in what has shocked the football and non-footballing world. In 1999, 16-year-old Celtic fan Thomas McFadden was stabbed to death by two Rangers supporters following a 1-0 Rangers victory over Celtic in the Scottish Cup final. In another devastating incident following Celtic’s 3-2 win over Rangers at Parkhead in 2009, 51-year-old Celtic fan Patrick McBride was kicked and stamped on repeatedly by David Mckay in a kebab shop and would eventually succumb to his injuries.

Footballing rivalries exist for a number of reasons. They can stem from territorial disputes, such as the North London Derby, political differences, as illustrated by El Clasico, or socio-economic dissimilarities such as the Derby della Capitale between Roma and Lazio. However very few rivalries embody the hatred and division that subsists between Celtic and Rangers. This is not just a case of contradictory national identities, but a religious, cultural and governmental conflict that has been brewing for over 150 years and that has resulted in communal animosity, abuse and death.

Written by Charlie Adey