There are relatively few serious books about Rangers FC. This is surprising given the current upsurge in sports studies and sports writing. 'It's Rangers For Me?' seeks to fill the gap and engages with the debates on a range of topical issues: sectarianism and Scottish society; Scottish, British and Irish/Ulster identity seen through the prism of Rangers; Rangers and the Orange Order; the revival of the Ulster-Scots culture; the 'offence' allegedly given by the traditional songs associated with the club; the recent UEFA action against Rangers. There is also a critique of books like 'Celtic Minded' and 'Celtic's Paranoia' (in a brilliant, excoriating essay entitled 'The World of the Celtic Minded') which, it is argued, help to perpetuate the victimhood mindset of many Celtic supporters. Many other important themes are explored: the often difficult relationship between the Church of Scotland and Rangers; the hostility directed by sections of the Protestant middle class towards Rangers; the uneasiness felt by some current and former fans about the club's image; the suspicions harboured by a number of supporters about sections of the press and its supposed anti-Rangers agenda; the disdain of the Scottish political and social elite for the cultural mores favoured by working-class football fans, especially those of the Old Firm; the club's clumsy and frequently counter-productive efforts in the fields of public relation and media manipulation. The book continues to attract widespread attention and was discussed on BBC Television's Newsnight and on STV's Scotland Today. Its publication made headline news in a number of newspapers including The Times, Daily Telegraph, Scotland on Sunday, The Sun, Daily Record, Evening Times and The Herald
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As featured on BBC Television's Newsnight, Reporting Scotland and Scotland Today. --BBC Scotland
This controversial new book . . . astonishing --Scotland on Sunday
The controversial new book that everyone's talking about. --Sunday Times
This controversial new book . . . astonishing --Scotland on Sunday
The controversial new book that everyone's talking about. --Sunday Times
About the Author
The editors: Ronnie Esplin is a highly experienced journalist and the author of four previous books on Rangers. Graham Walker is professor of politics at the Queen's University of Belfast and has written many books and learned articles on British politics and society. The other distinguished contributors are: Tommy Malcolm, football historian; Archie Mackenzie, retired British ambassador; historian and academic George Hewitt; award-winning journalist Graham Spiers; philosopher and author Dolan Cummings; award-winning Ulster playwright Gary Mitchell; journalist Chris Williamson; Glasgow University chaplain Revd. Stuart McQuarrie; Worthy Grand Master of the Orange Order Ian Wilson; MSPs Murdo Fraser and Karen Gillon; former MSP and political activist Carolyn Leckie; academic Dr Jonathan Magee; SFA chief executive and former Ibrox hero Gordon Smith; actor, comedian and writer Jonathan Watson; former Celtic player and boyhood Rangers fan Davie Provan; former Rangers striker John MacDonald; founder member of the Orange County, California RSC Stewart McDougall.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
By Zambezie
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
An excellent read and covers a lot of information on the divide of 2 of the biggest clubs in Scotland
8 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'm somewhat surprised by a few of the negative reviews on here for this book. To my mind it's long overdue and should be pretty much curriculum reading for all Rangers fans out there.
Of late Celtic FC have done a tremendous job (for them) of defending their "culture" and Irish Catholic background whilst skillfully at the same time taking regular pot-shots at Rangers own traditions and links to Ulster-Scots (the 2 McNeill brothers who were 50% of the original founders of Rangers mother was from Ulster for example) and Irish Protestantism.
This book does a superb job in framing where Rangers grew from as a Scottish institution and looks at the many complex factors that have shaped the club. It allows the reader to celebrate where Rangers have come from and be proud of the club's heritage whilst behaving in a modern manner.
In particular the current vogue of over inflating the problem of sectarianism in Scotland is dismantled - along with the notion that Rangers are the main party to be blamed. The contributors put forward some insightful analysis of some of the propoganda coming from Celtic Park and it's patrons.
In addition to all this the book also has some great tales of people's first memories and experiences of watching and supporting the team. Yes - Graham Spiers has a say in this but so do another 15 or 16 people and almost all of these deserve to be read by the vast majority of RFC fans out there and some interested neutrals.
Of late Celtic FC have done a tremendous job (for them) of defending their "culture" and Irish Catholic background whilst skillfully at the same time taking regular pot-shots at Rangers own traditions and links to Ulster-Scots (the 2 McNeill brothers who were 50% of the original founders of Rangers mother was from Ulster for example) and Irish Protestantism.
This book does a superb job in framing where Rangers grew from as a Scottish institution and looks at the many complex factors that have shaped the club. It allows the reader to celebrate where Rangers have come from and be proud of the club's heritage whilst behaving in a modern manner.
In particular the current vogue of over inflating the problem of sectarianism in Scotland is dismantled - along with the notion that Rangers are the main party to be blamed. The contributors put forward some insightful analysis of some of the propoganda coming from Celtic Park and it's patrons.
In addition to all this the book also has some great tales of people's first memories and experiences of watching and supporting the team. Yes - Graham Spiers has a say in this but so do another 15 or 16 people and almost all of these deserve to be read by the vast majority of RFC fans out there and some interested neutrals.
10 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By KT
Format:Paperback
As a curious neutral, I found this book quite an eye-opener with regards to the media's, and indeed society's perception of Rangers followers and Scotish/Ulster Protestants in general.
I think Graham Walker's chapter certainly opens a whole new debate on the proaganda generated by Celtic's PR machine and the victimised/oppressed mentality which many people (myself included) previously accepted as gospel. Also the chapter on the 'Ulster-Scots' was very informative and gave me an angle on the Ulster situation which is not widely known (although is historical fact).
Unfortunately the inclusion of Graham Spiers seems to have caused a lot of controversy (although the first reviewer has rather gone beyond that with some of his comments!). It's a shame that he was included in the book as his chapter seemed to spend most of the time desparately trying to promote his credentials as a Rangers man (which may be doubtful) and then trying to justify hurting the same club. I have since done some research into him and he would seem to be very popular with Celtic fans and loathed by Rangers fans. The articles I have read would certainly indicate some kind of agenda against the club he purports to follow.
All in all a good (if sometimes heavy) read which will open your eyes.
I think Graham Walker's chapter certainly opens a whole new debate on the proaganda generated by Celtic's PR machine and the victimised/oppressed mentality which many people (myself included) previously accepted as gospel. Also the chapter on the 'Ulster-Scots' was very informative and gave me an angle on the Ulster situation which is not widely known (although is historical fact).
Unfortunately the inclusion of Graham Spiers seems to have caused a lot of controversy (although the first reviewer has rather gone beyond that with some of his comments!). It's a shame that he was included in the book as his chapter seemed to spend most of the time desparately trying to promote his credentials as a Rangers man (which may be doubtful) and then trying to justify hurting the same club. I have since done some research into him and he would seem to be very popular with Celtic fans and loathed by Rangers fans. The articles I have read would certainly indicate some kind of agenda against the club he purports to follow.
All in all a good (if sometimes heavy) read which will open your eyes.
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