Those aren't mere sheep in Tarquin's picture, you creep, they're WAGS. Show some respect. In other news...... SILF: please log in to view this image LILF: please log in to view this image
Sorry, I forgot to get to the point at the end of my last comment to you, Rebel (see above): holding grudges can sometimes feel tremendously rewarding.
Pysc I don't doubt that the actual matches were called Old Firm matches from long back. I thought I said that in my post. What I did say is that Scottish media used the OLd Firm tag to smear the two sides instead o deriding Rangers or use the term Old Firm instead of praising Celtic. I think that began in the middle late 60's but of course I could be right. Old Firm match was always regarded as fair comment but when used to artificially fuse the two clubs together,
Yes, don't worry, Super, you were perfectly clear and I understood the distinction you were making. It's just that I had thought that the term "Old Firm", once it had been used for the first time, immediately became common and widespread currency - which is possibly not the case, as you seem to hint. I've been wondering about "intent" and "reception", though, since learning that the term annoys some people. I mean, my intention whilst using the term has only ever been as a shorthand for Rangers and Celtic, without any malicious or sly connotations. The two teams are so often spoken about in the same breath that it's quite convenient, really, to have a term that encapsulates both of them. The reception, however - something over which the "giver" has no control - appears to be (sometimes) less than favourable. For a quiet life, I'll be opting to phase the term out of my vocabulary, whilst not entirely understanding (or agreeing with) the necessity to do so. And I think I see the other point your making. Do you mean it's a bit like when Andy Murray does well he's British - and when he fails he's back to being Scottish (in the eyes of an English press, say)? You feel the term "Old Firm" was dragged out and applied in order to suit an agenda, as opposed to being used with an impartial consistency? That's pretty much what I read into your comments, in any event, but I've catastrophically misread things in the past and won't be entirely surprised to learn if I'm doing so again now.
I guess I'm too lazy to hold grudges. I am responsible for most of my own ****s ups. I can't blame anyone else..... I begrudge folk not giving me credit more than I do folk who do me a wrong turn. I can see that would have been immensely satisfactory. This idiot bought the house just as things were at the highest. a mate just bought a similar house for 75k less......I'm not angry or jealous. Fair play to him.
Pysc. I am not guaranteeing my interpretation either but I am pretty sure in the middle/ late sixties, the seventies and perhaps the eighties Old Firm was used constantly in the manner I mentioned. I think it has tailed off a bit since then.