The Dean

Yes I know - but even so........... Motherwell would play a prelim round against the champions of Albania or wherever, and then who knows how far they might get? My point was - by playing in the Eng Prem, Rangers and Celtic rule themselves out completely from playing in the CL at all.

And another thought - even if they were to win the Eng Prem, they would not be eligible for the CL........ not English, see?.............

Autonomy

If the leagues were merged R & C would be definite purchase targets, don't you think?

I'm not up on all footy rumours, but had to do some research on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saeed_bin_Zayed_Al_Nahyan recently.

His wikipedia page mentions

"Rumours circulating the United Kingdom that Saeed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is considering purchasing Rangers and the Consortium is being fronted by Andrew Ellis who previously had links with QPR and Northampton Town."

No idea how current or accurate that is - but if a club goes into administration would a buy out be more likely - especially if integrated into the English leagues?

scrubbedexpat141

I know what you mean, but these things are linked in roundabout ways.

The SNP demanding independence would be undermined to an extent I think by decisions in non-political arenas. For example - a Great Britain football team (the drama with that has been amazing), Scottish teams joining the English PL and Football Leagues and being governed by the English FA etc.

I just think it's unlikely to happen and would have to be all or nothing. R and C joining alone would kill the Scottish leagues completely. All of them joining would make the whole football league so utterly complicated it's untrue. The splits of N/S Blue Square type leagues would end up being regional and holding just Norther English / Southern English / Scottish teams anyway.

Not sure how it would work. But it's not worth thinking about because I don't ever see it happening!

Hey ho, just my opinion on that.

weasel decentral

I would much rather the gate receipts and TV rights of the premiership than the chance to play a qualifier against another minnow team.

Outside chance of Europa cup football similar to Fulham isn't completely unlikely though?

The Dean

Yeah - but Rangers and Celtic have reached the group stages quite a few times (I remember Celtic in Man Utd's pool a few years ago).

flares

If Rangers and Celtic played in England they'd be in League One before you could say Michael Mols and seeking re-election to the SPL

Oyibopeppeh

And wouldn't it be splendid to watch the likes of Stoke and friggin Fulham help them get there

flood2

So if the old firm get into english football ....how would celtic fans signing songs glorifying the IRA go down at say Chelsea, Millwall, Villa, Leeds etc.

It will never happen the old firm carry too much bigoted baggage.

Just ask Manchester what they thought of rangers fans following the EUFA cup final....

co durham boy

Rangers have been deducted 10 points and are still 9 points ahead of the mighty Motherwell who are in third place.
That in itself just shows you how 'Pish' their league is .

The argument for having them in the Premier league is nonesense as well . The English Premier league don't need them and they wouldn't bring anything positive to the competition .

The singing of 'The Soldiers Song' and 'The Penny Arcade' are best left north of the border.

The Dean

Lyrics please?

scrubbedexpat141

The soldier's song is the Irish national anthem or was I believe...sung by Celtic

The other is a song about a Catholic murdered at an arcade. Celtic moan it's used as a sectarian / anti catholic chant / song.

I think.

The Dean

Oh........... so it's not just about being up to our knees in Fenian blood and Billy's Boys and all that then?

scrubbedexpat141

Give or take.

I didn't answer your question though, the lyrics I don't have or know i'm afraid...pretty sure that the anthem is still used in part, and used mainly at all-Ireland sports events like the Gaelic stuff.

Oyibopeppeh

One is the Irish national anthem and the other is an old Roy Orbison song.

co durham boy

Written by a bloke from Huddersfield....