Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer
Subject: Re: Rivals (or, who do ya hate?)
From: mcsdc1jpb@dct.ac.uk (john bell)
Date: 11 Dec 92 16:07:53 GMT
Organization: Dundee Institute of Technology

In article <Bz0DKo.pK@apollo.hp.com>, moynihan_r@apollo.hp.com (Robert Moynihan) writes:
> -
> 
> One of the more popular pastimes in r.s.s. seems to be slagging off
> one's favorite team's rivals.  So, in the interest of informing the
> world about "Who hates who," why don't people send in the name of 
> the team they support the most, and who that team has as it's 
> greatest rivals.  If more than one team applys, list all that do,
> in order if possible.  While trying to avoid profanity or insult,
> let us know how the rivalry started, if possible.

There are 3 major rivalries in scotland, celtic-rangers, hearts-hib, and
dundee-dundee united. Though the phrase 'psychopathic hatred' can easily be
applied to rangers-celtic, which is all about religion, ie: catholic celtic,
protestant rangers. To a smaller extent, the same goes for the hearts-hibs
rivalry, though most hearts fans i know *HATE* StMirren almost more than hibs.
This goes back to 1985/6 when St Mirren beat Hearts 6-2 early on, then when
hearts went unbeaten from then til may when the combination of a 0-2 defeat at
dundee and a 5-0 win for celtic at st mirren gave celtic the title, when if it
had only been 3-0 to celtic, hearts would have been champions. The third one is
between dundee (who i support) and dundee united, where any religious hatred
that existed has long since disappeared (protestant dundee, and catholic
united). The third derby is unusual in that there is never any violence at
these games fans-wise, and fans of both sides can be seen in a pub chatting
about the game that has just been played without smashing bar stools etc over
each other. Still, during the game, the two sets of fans scream and swear at
each other anyway on a par with the other teams but at least don't fight about
it.

> 
> For instance:
> 
>  "Celtic and Rangers have a long rivalry based mainly on sectarian
>   differences, Celtic historically being near-exclusively Catholic,
>   and Rangers being near-exclusively Protestant, and the fact that
>   they have been traditionally two of the strongest Scottish football
>   powers."
> 
> ...is preferable to...
> 
>   "Celtic beats the #$%* out of MIM FC every chance it gets because
>    the *@&$ing huns are unwashed heathen scum that don't know what
>    a toilet looks like."
> 
> ...to take a well-known rivalry as an example. :-)  By the way, I
> happen to -like- Rangers FC (as opposed to New York Rangers Hockey
> Club, who are unwashed heathen scum that don't know what a toilet
> looks like...but that's a subject for another group. ;-) I just 
> don't know who Ipswich Town might have as a traditional rival. :-)
> 
> Have fun folks...
> 
> ===================================================================
> Bob Moynihan                         Go Ipswich Town!
> moynihan_r@apollo.hp.com             Never let the rocks cry out.
> ===================================================================
>   Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not for Hewlett-Packard Co.
> ===================================================================                                         
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