stillresigned

I think the problem is too deep rooted in Scottish society to expect that any statement by any club, in particular a small club like ours to have any effect. I have noticed some posts on this forum implying that Neil Lennon is somehow to blame for the bigotry, when the truth is that Scotland had sectarianism long before Neil Lennon was even a tadpole. The truth, which hurts, is that deep rooted changes in attitudes need frankly generations to embed themselves. All we can do as supporters and as individuals can do is refuse to buy into any of the whole sectarian issue and condemn it where it raises its ugly head. This does not mean getting sidetracked on deciding what is or what is not a sectarian son, Christ any ten year old who has grown up in Glasgow or its environs , would, unfortunately be able to do what Strathclyde Police are apparently unable or more likely unwilling to do and identify a sectarian song and/or behaviour. If I sound a tad dispirited, its because I am sick and fed up of hearing the same cr*p, and excuses for bigotry year in year out, with nothing ever happening in reality. It says a lot about Scottish football that someone like Dr. John Reid can occupy the moral highground, but unfortunately he seems to do in the alternate reality that is Scottish football.

I can see where people are coming from in not wanting to involve themselves in politics, in an ideal word that'd be fine. Unfortunately, we don't live in an ideal world and sectarianism directly or indirectly affects everyone.That said I really can't think of a way the Club could seriously make a statement without being accused of adopting a "holy wullie" attitude, however if this cr*p gets any worse, for the sake of our own reputation they might have to.

Aye, we're respectably mediocre

Funnily enough I didn't know it was on just flicking channells and managed to catch the best part of it. Very good programme and Bobby Charlton as ever comes across as a decent normal guy. Puts the England team into perspective, I would say: no matter how much it pains me to say so the English side that won the World Cup was a tremendous team. Althought the exception might be England having such a good side, rather than an average one now. As for players its almost impossible to compare player of differing generations, although I'd always agree that no matter the era a good player from the 1920's would still be a good player today, if you had a handy tardis that is. The best players I've ever seen live remain Maradona and Jimmy Johnstone, neither of home I'm afraid will endear me to Rangers fans. As to the best Thistle player, well I don't know if he was the best but Donald Park was my favourite player as a boy , so I guess I'll stick with Parky.

The place holds so many memories for me its almost impossible to think of life without it. However, things have got so bad recently that I for one would accept a move. The only thing is could we trust these numpties who run this club to come up with a viable and sensible alternative;I have ny doubts.

Yeah, I've got to say that that totally detracted from the result. Unfortunately, cheating has become almost de rigeur in the modern game. A start might be for referees actually to apply the laws of the game as they are written, not as they are misinterpreted by various media "personalities". I'm totally fed up listening to comments about "contact" etc., don't really remember that in the rules. If you were to watch a game from thirty years ago and compare fouls, bookings, etc., I'm sure you would notice a hell of a difference(unless of course it was Rangers who've been getting dodgy penalties etc. as long as I can remember).

Lionel Messi's goal tonight was far and away one of the greatest goals I've ever seen. I have to admit that I'm glad Barc wiped the smile of that arrogant pr*ck Mourinho's face. In addition it only goes to show that quality football such as played by Barcelona will 99% of the time, win over negative anti-football; which no doubt egged on by the media would have a rennaissance if Madrid had won.

That could probably sum me up too. there's just something about Glasgow Rangers that gets my back up. Equally, I'm none too fond of Celtic either, who are in my view slightly the better of the two.Mind you it's akin to having to choose the biggest barsteward between Hitler and Mussolini, if you get my drift.

I remember listening to that game on the radio( in the smoking room at Heathrow Airport) and shocking many of my colleagues with my un-parliementary language, not to mention getting a rollicking from my gaffer. Oh happy days!

I really, really hate this question it say's more about Scottish society than probaly any other. I don't know how much money I've spent following Thistle over the years except that it's been a sizeable part of my disposable income not to mention the disappointment's which have been legion and the inconveniences and troubles supporting Thistle have caused which are legion. What kind of muppet do people think I am when if I went to all this trouble for nothing , because I was born a Catholic and if I knew my place in the scheme of things I'd be a Celtic supporter( not like my father who is a H*n but that's another story). Incedentally, I will confess to not liking Rangers with a passion, its hard to do otherwhise when their supporters want to dance in your blood for some uknown reason. On the other hand I've been ejected from Celtic Park, for daring to remonstrate with one of the faithfull that he should not refer to his team as "the Popes eleven" especially not in front of his wee boy. But I admit it I am really a Celtic supporter, grrr!

Was a Celtic fan as a boy, until went to a game against Motherwell and was sickened by all the bigotry and I started wanting Motherwell to win. My great- uncle was a Jags fan(of sorts) and he offered to take me to Firhill, and now forty years later I'm still going.

You've really got to wonder what kind of life this nutter(s) has had to bring them to this cr*phat do they actually want to achieve. I mean what do they actually expect to achieve? And more to the point who do they claim to represent(apart of course from Donald Findlay)?

Couldn't have happened to a nicer team

I've always thought that in practise the policies of the Labour Party and the SNP were actually fairly similar. With the obvious exception of independence. However, at a practical level it would not be over egging the issue to suggest that each party loathes the other. So absolutely no go their. I think that the result will be tight and I for one would not like to predict the outcome, but my guess for what its worth is another SNP minority administration.

Think the mobarchy is anrchic and frankly irelavant to most people, but given recent events viz. Rangers etc. would guess that some people in this neck of the woods wouldn't take to kindly to an anti-monarchy demonstration. That in itself is obviously no reason not to actually have one. The great danger would be that it would be hijacked by the sectarian element(both so- called republican(Irish) and equally unrepresentative loyalist elements for their own narrow sectarian purposes.

Thats quite a list of grievances and I've absolutely no idea of the veracity or otherwhise of your points, The bottom line is that Lennon has been threatened etc., mainly due to the fact that he is an Irish Catholic who manages Celtic, and that is in my book simply not acceptable. As any form of racism or bigotry has no place in a modern civilised society. I would have thought that general statement to be broadly acceptable to most users of this forum. Furthermore, I did not raise this point to make pathetic tribal points of the sort we'll no doubt be bombarded with come Sunday lunchtime.

You may well be right actually.

It seems to be a facet of modern life that if the great unwashed don't agree with a proposition from their betters, then it will just be proposed in a different form: which being stupid we'll all accept!

I'm afraid thats one of the many periods in our recent history I'd rather try and forget.

Just saw this on the BBC website and I'm sure all Thistle supporters will unreservedely condem such mindless madness. No matter that Neil Lennon is not my favourite person, it takes a special type of nutter to take bigotry to this level. At the end of the day its all about kicking a ball around a football park and it should never, ever be a matter of life and death. To be fair I'm sure that the vast majority of Rangers and Celtic fans would utterly condemm such actions as well. It really is time that sections of Scottish society were dragged kicking and screaming (as will probably be neccessary) into the twenty first century.

Mice thought but extremely unlikely: I remember when the H*n's were really rank rotten in the eighties and a sizeable amount of them went to support Heart's, since they were not bad at the time. Success or lack of it as always the determinant factor in your average H*n's worldview. However come Souness, they all returned to their red, white and blue prams. I know there are quite a few who profess to have a soft spot for the Jags, but I think that's just a touch of self delusional affectation to make themselves feel comfortable with being a bigot or at least supporting a bigoted team. BTW the last description covers my own father , much to my great chagrin.

Excellent posts encasulates all my feelling viz, IMcC and in prticular the dire future which seems to be in store for this club. Even though it's a cracking night I can't go 'cos I'm working it's just no fair!

I cannot for the life of me see why any top English Premier League side will be keen to add, to an already overcrowded fixture list: meaningless games against what they would consider second rate opposition. Unless , of course they are anxious to welcome the scourge of bigoted supporters , particularly those of a Rangers persuasion, whom not only have the SFA being singularly unable to adress, but who are now the subject of long delayed action bt UEFA, Really, you've got to ask yourself what feckin planet are these people living on? Probably the same planet where you propose reverting to a structure no football fan I'm aware of wants, simply to get their hands on Murdoch's thirty pieces of silver(again!). It would be comical if it weren't so tragic!

I know I am being a tad, naive here but do we really need another new top?