letters 107

daily record

Dear NTV,

I think it's about time we all pulled together to ensure that the 'Daily Ranger' is boycotted at all times. Day after day, week after week, year after year we are forced to endure uneducated, unfounded 'opinions' from hacks who wander through life on the crest of a wave created by there own bullshit. The famous Celtic 'mole' (aka: 'club insider') created by these overpaid, overrated verbal diarrhoea merchants has ensured that they have never been brought to justice as the liars that they are.

I have recently returned to Glasgow after six months of working in Liverpool. In this city the fans of both Liverpool and Everton have boycotted the Sun newspaper since its disgraceful coverage of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. Every evening the newsagents' shelves are full of this rag and this stands as a strong statement to the journalists who tried to make a name for themselves on the back of a such a tragic event. Not for a moment do I rate the coverage we have received on the scale endured by our friends in the south. But I believe this is a perfect example of how we as a unit can make a statement to those who employ the people at these newspapers.

If every Celtic supporter refused to purchase the Daily Ranger and the Sunday Mason (along with 'The Sun' and 'News Of The World' as an ongoing gesture of support for the Scousers) then I believe it will not be long before the men at the top will have to take a serious look at those they have employed below them.

All of this of course is simply my opinion and experiences. But wouldn't it be nice to pick the paper and read actual factual stories and not the fictional trash we have endured up until now.

'Hail Hail' to all (especially those who attend Celtic Park for the full 90 minutes)

JOHN B HOY
by e-mail

more daily record

Dear Sir,

I write to ask that you organize, via NTV, a boycott of the Daily Record/ Sunday Mail. I believe that in their current disgraceful treatment of Messrs. Valgaeren, Mjallby and Petta they have surpassed themselves.

I have always regarded their standard of journalism as poor and reporting generally inaccurate and at times poisonous. In particular their attempt a few years to draw parallels between Sadam Hussein and Fergus McCann was disgraceful and distasteful. At that time I phoned the journalist in question and blew my top. This achieved little except a modicum of self satisfaction.

On this occasion I want to hit these journalists where it hurts - in their pockets. The Record's circulation is already in fairly steady decline yet they seem complacent enough to take the huge Celtic support for granted. I believe that via a boycott by the weekly crowd at Parkhead we could easily reduce their daily circulation by 20,000.

In addition if those who sympathise with Celtic also stop making purchases we could send a powerful message to those who seek to make gains by twisting the truth and sometimes simply lying about the people connected with our great club. You may think that accusations of lying is perhaps a little strong. However, I regard poorly researched work and the use of statements and situations taken out of context in the same way that I regard people who lie, particularly when the twisted versions of the truth are exposed to such a large audience.

You may ask why single out the Record/ Sunday Mail. Are not some of the others as bad? I say possibly, however, some others do not try to take what they write too seriously. The Record actually believes itself to be a paragon of virtue. The nonsense about the photographer in Newcastle being on a mission to photograph Celtic and Rangers players crossing the sectarian divide is an example of the type of campaign they like to hide their 'other' agenda behind.

This is particularly apparent given the recent attempt to smear Ian McLeod's name. Was that an attempt to heal sectarian divisions? I think not.

So let's all stop buying the Daily Record and Sunday mail and enjoy the discomfort of Peter Cox (Editor of Record) when he realises that his sleazy brand of tabloid journalism has simply exacerbated the decline in sales of his sub-standard paper.

Yours Sincerely
SEANIE BHOY
by e-mail

... and again

Dear NTV,

Following yet another hounding by the Scottish media, it is surely blatantly obvious to all that there is a concerted movement to blacken the name of Celtic FC at every available opportunity. I don't have the time - and NTV doesn't have the space - to cite every example of this through the years, but the 'Astraeus Plane Riot', 'Daily Record Camera Theft' and the vicious radio and gutter press attack on Martin O'Neill following the recent match at Ibrox are just the latest.

I would suggest that this long-standing problem could be resolved if Celtic supporters refused to buy the Daily Record, Sunday Mail etc. Certainly there would be continued anti-Celtic diatribes in the short-term, but this would be gradually diluted if the journalists were not provoking any reaction from irate fans. After all, if you don't read the crap you won't get wound up. Refuse to buy the paper, do not write to the paper and do not phone the radio programmes.

I suspect that any newspaper or radio executive would be a tad concerned if he suddenly lost 50% of his readership/ listeners. Believe me, when their revenue is affected they will react.

Following the most recent Daily Record attack on Celtic after the Newcastle party, I would strongly question the sanity and logic of any Celtic fan who buys the Daily Record or Sunday Mail again.

G. McSHERRY
Bearsden

over the top

Dear NTV,

I didn't really have a problem with the idea that the Daily Record covered the problems in Newcastle but they went way over the top in how they represented it. You were instrumental in the downfall of the 'Biscuit Tin' board by encouraging a very successful boycott of the terraces. You should begin a campaign against the Daily Record encouraging that fans should stop buying. Any outcry will do nothing. Not buying their rag will hit their profits and then they'll change their tune.

I always thought of that paper as the Daily Ranger, but mildly so. Not any more.

If you can't encourage a boycott on legal grounds, then at least print this letter informing other fans what I and many people I know are doing.

VINCE McGARRY
A converted Evening Tims (oops I mean times) buyer.

Can it really be true? Is the Celtic public finally waking up to the fact that the Daily Record never misses the chance of a cheap shot at CelticÕs expense? Is the boycott working? Can anyone supply a photograph of huge piles of unsold Records in their local newsagent? Will NTV send them a prize if they can? Is this the last question in this silly paragraph? (Yes it is - unamused ed)

The Utter Nonsense Sports Breakfast

Dear NTV,

Thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas edition, keep up the good work. May I, however, give my tuppence worth regarding the recent letter of support for the Glasgow Six from Matt Davis of talkSPORT Radio? (NTV 106) . I write the following in the full understanding that NTV prints letters and articles from all sides and all points of view. A policy which I go along with. But, 'This tosh is the vocal equivalent of the Record and the Sun and should be treated in the same way. Turn a blind ear to it!' (Ron Atkinson)

Mr. Brazil and Mr. Parry constantly make the most careless statements on race, gender, politics, sectarianism, terrorism and any other topics they care to spout on.

Oh, and football. Last Easter, when I finally stopped listening, a caller phoned and complained that they constantly knocked all things Man United, a point that I didn't agree with and most wouldn't, but a point of view nonetheless. Two experienced radio men would deal with this calmly and succinctly. The reply from Mr. Brazil, ' Anti Man U! - I scored 12 goals for the Reds, how many have you scored??' This to a member of the public phoning in with an opinion. I wonder how many hours of in-service media training went in to that one.

From a Celtic point of view, I hope this hullabaloo over the flight from Spain is shown up as the overreaction that we all know it was and, yes, it would be better if this was done nationally, but not through talkSPORT, please, - because I wont hear it!

CHARLIE DONNACHIE
Tired, Precious, Emotional, Hungover and back at bloody work.

green cross code

The following e-mail was sent to: scottish.ministers@scotland.gov.uk

Dear Sir,

I write to complain about the recently reported proposed moves by the Scottish Executive to ban football players making the sign of the cross. To censure an individual for making a common expression of their own faith is an action unworthy of a country that claims to be civilised. Making the sign of the cross on entering the field of play or as a sign of thanks after scoring a goal, is common amongst Catholic football players the world over - including those in the vast majority of countries in the world which have no conception of sectarianism. I acknowledge that the freedom to manifest one's religion as outlined by the Council of Europe is subject to limitations in the interest of the protection of public order. However I am unaware of any instance in which a player acknowledging his faith in this manner has ever caused a breach of the same.

I am also aware of the fact that several Celtic supporters have been murdered in recent years and that a song which celebrates being 'up to our knees in Fenian blood' is still sung at Ibrox without censure of any form from the club or from the authorities.

While I am wholeheartedly in favour of eradicating sectarian violence, I would respectfully suggest that in this respect the Executive is persecuting an innocent gesture while averting its gaze from genuine expressions of hatred.

Yours faithfully
Don Watson

Top tips from our readers

Take 6 discarded newspapers and immerse intact in a bucket of water for 24 hours. This turns the papers into a form of papier mache. Next, wring out as much water as you can and roll each paper up individually at tightly as possible. Leave in the airing cupboard to dry and in a week's time you will have the perfect newspaper logs to help keep the cost of heating down. There is one drawback however and that is that shit doesn't burn so you will have to go out and find a newspaper other than the Daily Record to use. yours faithful through and through Ebeneezer Scrooge Lennon C.S.C. Stoke on Trent. Can any other readers find some use for oiles of unsold Daily records? Let us know.