The F Word

Rangers FC don't have their troubles to seek at the moment - but an ugly, hateful section of their fans seem prepared to dig the club into a ever deeper hole.

Saturday's game at Ibrox - which Rangers lost 0-1 to Kilmarnock - confirmed that the Glasgow club still has a big problem with the F word - Fenian.

Which as many people know is a derogatory work for Catholic - and used by sectarian Rangers fans to vent their spleen and prejudices - despite efforts in recent years to stamp out this kind of behaviour.

UEFA have hit Rangers with big fines in European football games - but the problem raises its head again periodically as it did again last weekend - as the club faces the biggest financial crisis in its history.

Yet significant numbers of its supporters still feel the need to focus their hateful energy on Fenians - for reasons known only to themselves.

Various newspapers reported the incidents which involved chants of 'Fenian bastards' during the first half of Saturday's match - followed by a rendition of the loyalist song The Billy Boys - which UEFA has banned for the line "we're up to our knees in 'Fenian blood'.

And later in the game after refereeing decisions which upset some of the the home supporters - a widespread chant went up with the rhetorical question - 'Who's the Fenian in the black'.

Now to people who take these issues seriously - as many do - the F word is very offensive - the equivalent of the N word (Nigger) for those more inclined towards racial abuse.

So what is to be done?

It's clear that the behaviour of some Rangers fans is actively discouraged by the club - but still they persist in trashing their club's reputation - knowing that it's not an easy issue to deal with as the perpetrators hide amongst the general support.

But it's not exactly rocket science either - and the European football authority (UEFA) has identified the key - which is to fine the club over the behaviour of its fans. 

And to keep increasing the size of the fine - or even deducting points from the club - until the message gets through that in this day and age such behaviour is completely unacceptable.

I haven't been to Ibrox in a long time - but I'm quite sure that the majority of decent, fair-minded Rangers fans would turn on the sectarian bigots hiding in their midst.

Because it would come down to who really loves the club and its traditions - as opposed to who uses the club as a vehicle to pursue their hateful religious prejudices. 

All we need now is some leadership - from the Scottish footballing authorities.