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Hearts fans will give me abuse for being an Irish-Catholic

Discussion in 'Scottish Premiership' started by DevAdvocate, Apr 2, 2011.

  1. DevAdvocate

    DevAdvocate Gigging bassist

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    RICHIE TOWELL sat on the bench as Tynecastle crackled and his manager Neil Lennon was sent to the stand on a night of mayhem in Gorgie.

    And Towell came to the conclusion during Celtic's controversial 2-0 midweek defeat last November that Hearts fans' treatment of the Hoops is worse than their bitter rivals Rangers.

    Towell, on loan at Hibs from Celtic, is expecting to be a victim of the rivalry between the two sets of fans if he lines up against the Jambos tomorrow lunchtime.

    But the 19-year-old Dubliner, who made his top-team debut for Lennon's Hoops this season before his loan switch, can't wait to sample the intensity of the Edinburgh derby.
    And he lit the blue touch paper before the third battle of the capital sides this season.

    He said: "When Celtic go to Ibrox you realise how big the Old Firm rivalry is. "But when we went to play against Hearts you could see what their fans were like and how they react to Celtic players. "I thought it was worse for Celtic players at Hearts than it was at Ibrox.

    "I was on the bench at Tynecastle when Celtic lost 2-0 last November. "You could see the tackles that were going in then we got a player sent off which was why the manager was complaining. I could sense the rivalry in that game and it will be the same for me as a Hibs player.

    "I'm sure the Hearts fans will give me stick - especially as I'm an Irish boy and a Catholic as well. "They'll take it out on me so I'll have to be on guard against that. Even just going out to warm up they'll give me stick. "I suppose that's natural but it gets you going and I'm looking forward to it. "When you are getting a bit of stick it brings out the best in you and makes you want to try harder.

    "I would love to help Hibs get into the top six so we could get another game at Tynecastle after the SPL split." Towell has yet to play in an Old Firm first-team derby but has faced Rangers' reserves.

    However, he reckons he knows what to expect in an electric derby atmosphere and can't wait to face the Jambos.

    He said: "This will easily be the biggest fixture I've played in because I never played in a first-team Old Firm game.



    http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/footba...-hibs-loan-star-richie-towell-86908-23032313/
     
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  2. DevAdvocate

    DevAdvocate Gigging bassist

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    I've never been to Tynecastle so is Towell right or is he talking nonsense?

    Are there fans out there who are worse than Rangers'?
     
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  3. The Raging Oxter

    The Raging Oxter Well-Known Member

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    The first time I suffered sectarian abuse was at Tynecastle when some greasy looking twat called me a Fenian bastard.

    I was eight years old.

    Nice.
     
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  4. billzfantazy

    billzfantazy New Member

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    Oh come on! Maybe in the old days there was some sectarianism, maybe even now there are a small minority of bigots, but then you get them everywhere & they're usually young guys who know fu*k all. The majority of Hearts fans are atheists.
     
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  5. The Raging Oxter

    The Raging Oxter Well-Known Member

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    <laugh>

    How can you possibly know that?

    Maybe it's because I've lived more than half my life in Edinburgh but I've seen loads of examples of bigotry, especially from Hearts fans. From singing about being up to their knees to doing Nazi salutes it does happen. Sectarian and bigoted singing might not be on a par with a certain other club in Glasgow but that's just relative.
     
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  6. billzfantazy

    billzfantazy New Member

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    Well I've lived most of my life in & around Edinburgh, I've attended dozens of matches & know lots of Jambos' None of whom would indulge in the behaviour you talk about. I'm not denying there are a minority of mostly young guys who do act like tw*ts occasionally, but then so do people from Dundee/Aberdeen/Inverness.
    Just saying sectarianism isn't a major problem at Tynecastle these days and I'm sure any regular supporter would confirm that (if there are any on here!)
     
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  7. thenewday007

    thenewday007 New Member

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