Celtic - Rangers: North America

With two members of the US National Team on one of the squads in Sunday's Celtic - Rangers game, Graig Carbino talks to one of the North American diehards about what the Old firm rivalry means on this continent. 

By Graig Carbino

ALBANY, NY (Aug 29, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- Green vs. Light Blue. The Hoops against The Gers. The Bhoys battle The Teddy Bears. Catholics to fight the Protestants? (Not so much anymore, at least that’s what they say). Whether still drawn across sectarian lines or not, Celtic versus Rangers in the historic Old Firm match-up is one of the most intense confrontations you'll find in any sport.

The first incarnation of the 08-09 version of the Scottish Premier League’s perennial rivalry takes place this Sunday as Rangers make the short trip across Glasgow to take on Celtic at Parkhead. With US internationals DaMarcus Beasley and the recently signed Maurice Edu both likely to feature in the encounter, it felt like a good time to explain what this game is, what it means, and what sort of depth of support the Old Firm has in North America.

In case you didn’t know, or haven’t figured it out yet, this game matters. It is important. In truth, it is it. There is no single reason why Rangers and Celtic should not be the number one and number two teams in the SPL standings every single season. They spend the most money, they have the best players, they train at the best facilities, and they have the best fans. If you don’t finish first, or at least second under these circumstances something is wrong.

In fact, since the official “SPL” came into existence in the 1998-1999 season Rangers and Celtic have finished 1-2 every season except the 05-06 campaign when Rangers missed out on second place to Hearts by a solitary point. Their dominance over other Scottish football teams is unheralded and the ferocity of their rivalry may be unmatched across world soccer.

The intensity of this match-up has deeper roots than a simple same-city soccer game. The animosity between fan groups has, in the past, been drawn along both religious and political lines. There is a reason why you don’t talk politics or religion at a dinner party. You steer the conversation towards small talk because “big” matters like what church you are apart of or who you vote for as your leader are a bit too passion driven for friendly chit-chat. Mix faith, government affairs and footballing passion into one hot cauldron and things tend to get messy.

The rivalry is so intense that many, if not most of the games involving these two teams see one or more players sent off. It’s a game that is not for the feint of heart. Tackles fly in from all corners of the field and there are usually fights in the stands amongst rival supporters groups. Unfortunately the rivalry has been directly associated with many fan injuries (and some deaths) over the years.

Jacky Meehan, President of the North American Federation of Celtic Supporters Clubs describes the atmosphere of one of these games as being “unmatched anywhere in the world.” In regards to what the result of the Old Firm contest means to the supporters of each club Meehan said, “most of the Celtic fan base do really bleed green and the result of an Old Firm game will affect how you feel for weeks.” I found it a bit funny, although not altogether strange, that Meehan would not use the term “Rangers” in any of his responses to the questions that I posed.

According to Meehan, the NAFCSC was officially started in 1995 to give Celtic supporters the chance to watch games live via satellite. He and the rest of the committee deal with Setanta and also deal with setting up annual conventions in North America.

There is, of course, a corresponding Rangers club called the North American Rangers Supporters Association. Their stated purpose is to “promote closer social interaction amongst North American Rangers Supporters, obtain as many live Rangers games via satellite as possible and provide a unified voice at Ibrox for our members.” Unfortunately, executive members of NARSA could not be reached for comment on this story.

I felt it necessary to ask Jacky what sort of support this game and the two opposing clubs have in North America. We know it’s big in Scotland, but what does this match mean to us on this side of Atlantic? Meehan stated “Celtic have 61 clubs in North America of which 35 are in the US. In membership we have roughly 4000 members but in North America I would say the Celtic support would be in the tens of thousands.”

I then had to pose the question about religion and sectarianism in this rivalry. When asked if the fandom of each club was still drawn down the line of faith Meehan responded that “most fans are following the team that their fathers and grandfathers did.”

I guess if your grandfather was a Catholic Celtic supporter, and your father is a Catholic Celtic supporter then you have a good chance of being a Catholic Celtic supporter. Meehan also wanted to stress that “Celtic have always been open to any religion or creed” and that the fans that are not from Irish or Scottish parentage probably do not take their rooting interest from a religious point of view.

Scottish football matches on the whole can be fairly brutish, up and down affairs where it almost seems like kicking the ball up the field as far as one can becomes the main objective rather than actually scoring goals. Not the Old Firm though. It’s passionate, skilled and heart felt every single time it is played. These games mean so much to fans of either club that I am not entirely sure if we in the US truly understand the magnitude of each contest.

Relate it all back to Major League Soccer and I think that Jacky Meehan sums it up best. He is based in Toronto, so I figured that I would ask about Toronto FC, Mo Johnston and the BMO field atmosphere. Mo, of course, played for Celtic before controversially signing to play with Rangers later in his career.

When I asked Meehan if he had ever been to see TFC play he bluntly responded, “I have never been to a Toronto FC game and never will as long as Mo Johnston is associated with them.”

Yeah, these games matter.

Graig Carbino covers American Abroad and writes a weekly column for USSoccerPlayers.  Contact him at graiger11@yahoo.com