Rangers Football Club

Thanks for throwing in how I would of behaved if something had happened. 

97% of Newcastle supporters were in favour of the Saudi takeover

If you were one of the 3% well fair play to ya

At the time, and I was critical of this, a lot of Newcastle fans generated this narrative that was somewhat fatalistic and phrased it rhetorically as "what can we do, this is in the boardroom?" This came from fans who have been very public in their protests towards the administration, previous administration, and decisions taken in relation to the playing staff. It smelt a little disingenuous last April when they seemed to take the fatalistic approach when it appeared that the could get rid of the current administration, and enhance their financial position, to rival other major teams, at the same time.

Football fans, including obviously Ireland fans, passionately wanting to qualify for a tournament where our flag will be flown over a stadium built by hundreds of dead, horribly treated immigrants. This one really bothers me. Nothing would make me happier and prouder than a full boycott but that will never happen. I don't want Ireland represented at this tournament 

Also thought Liverpool had a chance last year to make a real statement. A club with supposedly historic social ideals. But nah, World Champions!

Often wonder what Shankley would have done. 

As a Liverpool supporter I have boastfully and trollfully exclaimed "World Champions" about LFC

But I agree with you that the place where they won was built on blood

It would have been a statement of real social idealism to not participate and it probably would have been a prouder boast to have have done that

Wasn't the intercontinental competition abandoned for years because of the 1968 Estudiantes-Manchester United clash and it being deemed to be too dirty or European clubs basically saying that "we're not risking our players being injured"

The thing about all these things is there are so many bad faith operators out there just dying to scream "hypocrisy" to prevent any sort of positive social change

Or else they launch bad faith cries of "racism"

This the ludicrous Louise Mensch style attitude when she was on Have I Got News for You and tried to ridicule the Occupy protestors for having a cup of coffee - "they want all that capitalism brings"

And absolutely everything is political. It cannot be avoided. Everything about football is political and has been from the very beginning, trying to pretend otherwise is willful ignorance.

Sorry PM, its not. Thats a binary of recent years.

Also, I never said it was historically political. Just that it has accelerated. I do take your point its long term/

In recent years it has become binary, but everything is political in its truest sense. Every action we take or make is based on either or own norm and values, those imposed on us by society and government and our feelings in doing them. I agree it has become bizarrely binary in recent years, to the point where liberalism and socialism keep being flung in together, much to my chagrin, but everything is political; but politics isn't everything!

Thats a very interesting and compelling way of looking at it, tbh.