SHANE MOVE WILL SICKEN THE BIGOTS

Shane Ferguson in action for Northern Ireland

The Premier League's January Transfer window shut with a disappointing late surge of activity for many of the club's. However the same can't be said for Rangers FC who have completed the deadline day signing of FIVE Newcastle United players on loan deals. Of these five, perhaps the most interesting is the switch by Northern Ireland international Shane Ferguson. The move will see the Derry native - a self confessed Celtic fan - join the Gers for the remainder of the season.

The news will come as a huge blow to the mindless minority of Old Firm supporters who still harbour the old sectarian attitudes of the past. Many of a Celtic-minded disposition will find the story of this young Roman Catholc - and former Gaelic footballer -  crossing the once well-guarded religious divide in Glasgow to join a club typecast as 'Loyalist and Protestant' troubling indeed. Others though, welcome it. The myth that Rangers only signed Protestant players has been exposed for what it is - a myth. But then sometimes you're damned if you do and damned if you dont. Take Republic of Ireland native Jon Daly's move to Ibrox last year for example. The player was berrated for breaking the mould and becoming the first post-troubles Irishman to play for the club. Thankfully, much of the vemon directed towards Dubliner Daly was limited to the usual bile that is often spewed on social media websites.

However, it is transfer activity such as this which can help break down the religious barriers that still exist in Glasgow today. But it is important to note, as history has told us before, the deep rooted hatred between the Old Firm support will never be totally eradicated, as the Mo Johnston saga confirmed. The rivalry is what it is. Love them or loathe them, it's what makes the game tick in Scotland and is the reason it is such a big draw for not just UK and Irish audiences, but on a global scale too.

With the Old Firm currently in different leagues, the prospect of a clash with his supposed boyhood favourites Celtic is now firmly off the menu for Shane. For the duration of his loan period, the player can let his footballing do the talking, and try to play his way back into the Newcastle United side. The talent is there in abundance, so it's now up to Shane to live up to those high expectations that had propelled him into international football at such a tender age.

Fair play to Shane for challenging the age-old stereotypes that all too often drag down the old firm.  Although, for the player this move will be seen as an opportunity for some much needed game time. His international manager Michael O'Neill will be espeically delighted considering the crucial couple of games coming up for Northern Ireland in the race for Euro 2016.

There's a reason the FAI were hoping he would defect, you know...

CARLING NATIONS FANS CUP 2011

Exclusive to this blog comes some extremely 'rare' video footage from the inaugural Carling Nations Fans Cup match between Northern Ireland and Scotland from Irishtown, Dublin.

The game saw nine goals in total.  (Eight of which were scored by the Green And White Army.)

Oh and I was making my long-awaited international debut. **cringe**

PS: The other game in the group saw the Republic of Ireland thrash Wales 4-1.  The result means both Irish sides lead the way going into next month's rather tasty showdown between the Green and White Army (NI) and the Boys in Green (ROI) back at the Irishtown Stadium.

OH BOY, DANNY WOULD BE A WORTHY ADDITION

Is now the right time for Northern Ireland to have it's own anthem played at it's international football matches?

Recently, I posed this question to a number of Northern Ireland supporters.  Not to be confused with newly acquired goalkeeper Lee Camp, there emerged two further camp's on the issue...

THE YES CAMP

- "The other Celtic nations have their own anthems, so Northern Ireland as a constituent part of the UK, should be no different."

THE NO CAMP

- "The official National Anthem of Northern Ireland is 'God Save The Queen'.  We shouldn't replace facts."

THE YES CAMP

- "We represent Northern Ireland, not the UK as a whole.  We are playing Scotland tonight (Feb, 2011) who will be singing 'Flower of Scotland', however we will be singing 'God Save The Queen'. Why?"

THE NO CAMP

- "I don't think we should replace GSTQ just to appease our 'haters' - mainly the republican community.  Next on the agenda would be to change our flag then change the name of Windsor Park  ...the enemies of Northern Ireland will not stop until the very name of Northern Ireland ceases to exist."

THE YES CAMP

- "GSTQ divides our so-called 'cross-community' squad.  Our players should be proud to stand together and sing together.  It should a shot in the arm for our players, not a shot in the foot."

THE NO CAMP

- It shouldn't matter what players mightn't like GSTQ.  The clearly divisive 'Soldier's Song', which some of the Ulster lads have to stand to before Ireland's rugby matches, doesn't seem to impact on their performance."

THE YES CAMP

- "The Commonwealth Games should set the precedent.  'Danny Boy' is played for those representing Northern Ireland.  It's widely seen as our National Anthem already."

THE NO CAMP

- "I sing GSTQ before every game we play with immense pride.  We should be proud of our British heritage and not be seen to be sweeping it under the carpet."

***

The argument's for and against a new anthem for Northern Ireland are not a new phenomenon.  They have come to prominence in recent times for a number of reasons, most notably for me, the reception it received in Dublin for the Carling Nations Cup match between NI and Scotland.

Sat in so-called 'neutral' East Stand Lower of the Aviva Stadium, I watched on as Scottish fans mixed well with their Northern Irish counterparts.  As the few locals in attendance would say 'the craic was at ninety'.  However, that was until it came to the National Anthems.  The first to be played was 'God Save The Queen' representing NI, but on this occasion, might as well have been England with a few tint's of green.  The sheer volume of boo's and jeers from the Scots during the anthem was deafening.  The doubtless 'Buckfast fueled' venom coming from large sections of Tartan Army was quite startling, and at times hostile, with one such fan's face almost turning the colour of his country's shirt as the anthem reached it's end.  Cross Rab C Nesbitt with Gordon Ramsey and you will get a rough idea of the sort of chap.

Yet, as much as I disagree with how disrespectful the booing of any national anthem may be, I understood this aggression was not directed at the Northern Irish support in-particular. The message was read loud and clear - Scotland consider GSTQ to be exclusively an 'English anthem'.  Of course, we know this is not the case.  It is after all the anthem of the United Kingdom of which Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England are all equally entitled to, and is rightfully played when the UK complete as a single country in athletics for example.

But this international football where all four home nations compete independently as separate entities in FIFA.  The thought of Scotland and Wales reverting back to GSTQ wouldn't bare thinking about as the world governing body would surely have to question why exactly a separate UK team wasn't created instead.

Northern Ireland needs to relinquish it's current 'UK anthem' and opt for an anthem of it's own.  We're not Brazil, we're not the United Kingdom either.  Quite simply we are Northern Ireland.  Now is the time for the 'revamped' Irish Football Association to step up to the mark and finally give Danny Boy his long overdue call-up to international football.

If not, then perhaps I should get used to the chant's of "Are you England in disguise?" which are still ringing in my ears from the Aviva this year.

TEAM GB OR TEAM ENGLAND?

OR

All the talk on Sky Sports News today, and all over the press for that matter, has been about this proposed 'Team Great Britain' football team for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Will it or wont it happen is the question of everyones lips at the moment.

But the latest snag hitting the team has come from across the water from Great Britain, in Northern Ireland. New IFA president Raymond Kennedy is now AGAINST such a move to involve the four home nations together in a one-off tournament. Leaving England as the sole country interested by the team. And it should be remembered that it was former IFA chief Jim Boyce who was 'all for' there being a Great British team in 2012. But new-boy Kennedy's reasoning behind the IFA's 'U-turn' on the team was a follows...

"If this was to happen the IFA would be in a dangerous position. Other federations could seize on the opportunity to say that a GB team could compete in a European Championship or World Cup in the future. I'm not giving anyone the chance to say that. We do not want to compromise our national identity."

The word paranoid might spring to mind!

But, already, the associations of Wales & Scotland respectively, have been opposed to the joint team as they believe it could give FIFA a reason to propose a UK team solely in the future which would take away the four home nations rights to exist as separate footballing nations.

However, it seems the majority of fans of Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland are very much against it for other reasons, citing 'English arrogance' as a reason behind their opposal to such a team being formed. Here's a few arrogant English fans (why they are so arrogant i do not know - Russia, Croatia and all that) at their best...

comment by pinnacleoffruit:

lol at barry fergerson, come on! so he is better than hargreaves, lampard, barry and more? I dont think so. We saw how good he was when he flopped at blackburn.The only reason the other teams arent that interested is that the GB team would mainly be english players with giggs, bale and gordon.

comment by liverpool_4_tital:

we (england) dont need wales and scotlad with us they wouldnt have any players in the team!

Typical, you might think. But lets be honest about this, a team representing Great Britain would be prodominantly full of English players, wheres the 'unity' in that?

If indeed it were to go ahead it would HAVE to be:

6 English

6 Scottish

6 Welsh

6 Northern Irish

+ a coaching squad containing EQUAL numbers from the four associations.

Only then, should the Home Nations be all for it.