Northern Ireland fans are ready for a Celtic hero
Thursday, 8 January 2009
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If you look closely at football in Northern Ireland you will see a stain. It became very visible in 2002 and many people have been trying to get rid of it ever since.
But as we all know, some stains are hard to remove.
What happened to Neil Lennon when he played for Northern Ireland was one of the most embarrassing and shameful episodes in the history of our game.
The death threat he received before he was due to lead out his team against Cyprus on August 21, 2002, was the action of someone who had no regard for human life, never mind the health of the Northern Ireland side.
But the Irish Football Association did have a serious problem to address from within the confines of its international stadium.
Lennon was booed when he played at Windsor Park and after the death threat he announced his international career was over.
The Lurgan man had expressed a desire to play for a united Ireland team but his biggest crime, in some people’s eyes, was to be a Catholic, part of a successful Celtic side and be proud of it.
Hatred poured from the old terracing and new stand at Windsor Park and the watching world didn’t like it one bit.
Former Hoops player Anton Rogan was also booed and the IFA eventually realised it had to grasp the nettle of sectarianism and crush it — easier said than done.
The fact that the Lennon incidents seem so long ago is a tribute to the excellent work which has been done in the last six years to tackle the issue.
The IFA’s Football For All campaign, driven forward by its head of community relations, Michael Boyd, together with the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs, have helped rebuild our country’s reputation in the worldwide football community. Northern Ireland fans were voted Europe’s best and the
atmosphere has been transformed at Windsor Park but the acid test will come when a proud and successful Celtic favourite, such as Niall McGinn, runs out to battle for his country in south Belfast.
Current Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington, a former international team-mate of Lennon, believes the dark days of sectarian abuse are now confined to the history books.
“The days of booing players who play for Celtic at Windsor Park are gone,” he said. “Niall has signed for Celtic and I, along with every Northern Ireland supporter, will wish him every success. He should be proud to play for such as a massive club as Kyle Lafferty and Steven Davis should be proud to wear the Rangers shirt.
“They are a credit to themselves and to Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland fans will always appreciate players who pull on the international jersey and give 100 per cent to the cause.
“We should always nurture and encourage young talent and I am so reluctant to mention the booing issue as it is in the past. We are human beings, all united with a common goal when we are competing for our country. Windsor Park is not a cold house for Catholics or Celtic players. There is a great atmosphere at the ground and I cannot praise the fans and the IFA enough for the contribution they had made in moving on from the bad times.
“The fans are 100 per cent behind the players. What happened to Neil Lennon was an embarrassing episode but we are looking forward to the future with players, the manager and supporters sharing the same pride when it comes to representing our country.”
In 2001 and 2002 Neil Lennon didn’t enjoy playing football at Windsor Park but he can now afford to smile when he reflects on how his experiences were a catalyst for change — change for the better. As the country attempts to move on from its troubled past, football is reflecting that change.
We can only hope than Niall McGinn’s career — or Paddy McCourt’s — takes off at Celtic so Northern Ireland fans can prove that bigotry is buried in the past and that football is their religion
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33 Comments
I have never heard either an individual Celtic nor a Rangers player being booed at a Scotland game. Those who follow Scotland get behind one and all that pull on the jersey and it is a great feeling.
The fact this is even being brought up in this forum speaks volumes about what still lurks below.
But good on you for making a start.
Posted by Greg | 26.09.09, 00:06 GMT
There is no longer any sectarian chanting at Windsor Park. The atmosphere is entirely welcoming and unthreatening for me (prod) and my Catholic wife and children. What is a little strange is the set-up at the Botanic Inn after an international match day when one telly shows the Republic highlights and the other the main match. But...... both tellies in the same bar and good banter between the two groups. Times really have changed.
Posted by Roy | 03.02.09, 00:31 GMT
"Hear Hear Sean, it is now incumbent upon the IRFU to ditch the partisan sectarian symbols which effectively preclude one side of the community here from supporting the team."
Tony Fearon
I hear you Tony.
Posted by mickey | 15.01.09, 13:37 GMT
Yeah True Unionist try selling that one to The Scottish FA, not to mention the Scottish football fans and indeed Welsh football fans who are proud to have their own separate identities and are not content with being a little England with the same anthem, similar flag etc as their superior neighbours. That one will never fly and if you think it will you are seriously deluded.
Posted by Barry | 13.01.09, 09:31 GMT
True Unionist I agree with you. The so called UK is one jurisdiction and therefore should not have four separate football associations.
However the team under the FAI represents all of Ireland as it features Derry born Darron Gibson
Posted by Tony | 12.01.09, 12:50 GMT
The sooner a full U.K. team replaces England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales the better.
Then 1/2 the population can represent and support their country (not region) and the other 1/2 can head south to represent and support theirs.
Then we could remove the grey area where nationalists are expected to play for or support anyone other than their beloved 26 counties. Not everyone wants your participation you know.
Wonder if the Telegraph thought police will allow this post ?
Posted by True Unionist | 11.01.09, 12:24 GMT
"At a riot in Belfast or Dublin its like being at Parkhead or a GAA match"
Wow that's a pretty bold statement there. Not to mention a tad bigoteed. Hmmm.
Posted by Barry | 09.01.09, 10:13 GMT
Now Mickey you cant just throw out names of victims of 'secterian abuse' at football willy nilly with no proof that such 'abuse' took place. Dado Prso wasn't the 'victim' of secterian bile. He played for Croatia between 2003-2006. Ireland played Croatia once in his time as a Croatian national player 26/11/04 in Dublin and guess what? Prso didn't feature in the match. Please get your facts in order before you throw out these accusations. Cheers.
Posted by Barry | 09.01.09, 09:44 GMT
Tony - why do you always trip yourself up??!?!
So "it's simply part of football for that players in the opposing team, attached to a club which might be a rival to that supported by a significant section of the home support and are booed"? - That seems fair enough.
"This is nothing to do with sectarianism it happens the world over. I have seen Overmars booed while playing for Holland at Lansdowne, Figo while playing for Portugal Vieira and Henry while playing for France" - Again, fair enough.
You'll therefore be able to contend youself with the knowledge that "its part of football" and "not sectarian" if Boruc gets booed at Windsor Park...
Posted by mickey | 09.01.09, 09:24 GMT
Hear Hear Sean, it is now incumbent upon the IFA to ditch the partisan sectarian symbols which effectively preclude one side of the community here from supporting the team
Posted by Tony Fearon | 09.01.09, 09:01 GMT
For this type of dialogue to be occurring in 2009 is disappointing. I don't live in NI, but my Grandfather was born in Belfast so I have been spending the past few years trying to learn about my heritage. I am obviously coming from a different perspective by not growing up and living through the "Troubles", but I always thought sport was a means to leave our differences (religious, race or otherwise) behind.
I just watched my country (Canada) rally behind our Junior hockey players as they won their 5th consecutive gold medal at the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championships. All we cared about was our country winning the event and preserving our reputation as the greatest hockey nation in the World. I don't want to downplay what the people of Northern Ireland have experienced since the early 1900's, but if you can't set aside your religious beliefs while your nation competes for football supremacy, what hope do you have at ever finding everlasting peace off of the football field?
Posted by Sean | 09.01.09, 03:19 GMT
I am sure Niall (and Paddy) will get a fantastic reception when they pull on the famous green shirt to represent their country at full international level. These boys will go far for both Norn Iron and Celtic.
I can guarantee Boruc wont even be in Poland team as he isnt good enough.
Posted by Gareth | 09.01.09, 00:25 GMT
I think it's fair to say McGinn hasn't made any choice. He was asked to play for NI and said yes. As far as I'm aware the FAI never asked him to play for Ireland so it would be pretty foolish if he assumed he could just play for a team that has never asked him to play for them in the first place. Who knows, if he had have been asked by the FAI he might just have said yes!! Actually, he's only played a friendly for NI so far, so if the FAI come knocking he can still play for them, seems its a case that they don't actually want him rather than the other way about!!
Posted by jon, belfast | 08.01.09, 21:36 GMT
I'm sure Niall will be envious when he is watching Traps lads playing in South Africa 2010.
Posted by Jayo | 08.01.09, 17:37 GMT
Mickey I never meted out sectarian abuse to anyone. The fact is that players appear in Dublin (as in every other intenational venue in the world) in the opposing team, attached to a club which might be a rival to that supported by a significant section of the home support and are booed. This is nothing to do with sectarianism it happens the world over. I have seen Overmars booed while playing for Holland at Lansdowne, Figo while playing for Portugal Vieira and Henry while playing for France,etc.
There is a world of difference between booing a member of the opposing side (which occurs at every single football match on a weekly basis) and meting out sectarian abuse to a member of "your own" team. Can you spot the difference?
Posted by Tony Fearon | 08.01.09, 16:58 GMT
So if Republic fans fly tricolours then that's republican triumphalism I presume? Northern Ireland fans fly their country's flag. There's nothing bigoted about that, the bigots are those who try to denigrate opinions other than their own as 'bigoted.' Shame on you. But let's not let the bigots get us down, c'mon Niall McGinn and c'mon the Green and White Army!
Posted by Steve | 08.01.09, 15:46 GMT
Tony Fearon - Get yer coat!!!
Posted by Strucker | 08.01.09, 15:27 GMT
Its great to know that sectarianism is exclusive to the Protestant community in Ireland - try You Tube or pictures of Republician marches to see catholic's in black berets & sunglasses & supporters wearing Celtic shirts. At a riot in Belfast or Dublin its like being at Parkhead or a GAA match, we've got the ostrich syndrom again. Good luck to any catholic playing for celtic & Northern Ireland, we see the same sort of bile spewed out at footie players all the time.
Posted by Stephen | 08.01.09, 15:08 GMT
Ah, that's ok Tony, the sectarian abuse you meeted out to Lovenkrands, Averladze, Prso etc is ok, because...wait for it....they were playing for the opposition....oh dear.
Anyway, you say "it is about the continued abject failure of the IFA to construct a neutral or apolotical environment in a divided society, which might attract cross community support for the team."
So answer me this as with the other story - these changes get implemented - a neutral and apolitical environment you desire is created - WHAT'S TO STOP YOU PERSONALLY FROM SUPPORTING NORTHERN IRELAND as you once did??????????
Nothing surely....
Posted by mickey | 08.01.09, 15:05 GMT
Strucker, the players you mentioned were playing for the opposition, in contrast to the North of Ireland Celtic players who were abused by their own so called supporters. Spot the Difference!
As I say this is not even a debate about North of Ireland fans or individual bigots, it is about the continued abject failure of the IFA to construct a neutral or apolotical environment in a divided society, which might attract cross community support for the team.
The only way to do this is to ditch the unionist paraphernalia which attracts bigots in the first place and makes every North of Ireland game effectively an excuse for unionist triumphalism.
I write the above as one who has in the past attended many games at Windsor Park but never ever felt the team in green and white was playing for or representing me.
Posted by Tony Fearon | 08.01.09, 14:07 GMT
33 Comments