A day after a Sevco fan hit a linesman with a coin at Livingston STV decided that a book launch by Mark Walters was the second most important story of the day in Scotland.
Straight after their report from the Tory Conference in Birmingham it was over to Raman at Ibrox with a not so subtle message in a classic case of deflection.
With the season three months old Aberdeen and St Mirren supporters have had bottles thrown at them INSIDE football grounds, Osijek fans have been stabbed going to Ibrox and shamefully a Macedonian child was racially abused by a ‘West of Scotland’ football fan who decided to share the moment on video.
All shameful, all topical and ignored by STV. A bit like their coverage of Scott Sinclair being racially abused for scoring at Ibrox in April 2017. That was the same day as a large battery was launched at Leigh Griffiths while a ‘West of Scotland’ supporter wandered unchallenged by stewards to confront Scott Brown on the park.
The response of STV- silence followed quickly by a stunt from Show Racism the Red Card Scotland. An organisation whose real aims were recently exposed by James Forrest in The Celtic Blog.
I agree but where was Raman when Scott Sinclair was racially abused. No place for racism & it should always be called out EVERY TIME….so why the silence on recent racism?????
— Henriklubo (@Henriklubo) October 1, 2018
Im same not point scoring but why raman no say its still happening at ibrox last season??. Why was he interviewing walters has he a book coming out soon serious question?
— hehasitall (@johnnyreece20) October 1, 2018
Did he mention his Anti-Catholic nights out Raman??? Has any journalist ever bothered to ask him??? pic.twitter.com/v5xARO9oFq
— Mr. Green ???????????????? (@brianboru67) October 1, 2018
@Ard_Macha Why not come up to date with how things are in football and have aword with Scott Sinclair?
— ? darcy swift 2 ? (@darcyswift2) October 1, 2018
Why don’t you interview eh
Paul Elliot .. scott Sinclair .. or how about the late paul Wilson’s family
If in doubt , your team struggling I guess https://t.co/gA3hRHaHUa
— Thomas (@clydebankceltic) October 1, 2018
In 1987 the actions of some Celtic supporters to Mark Walters was shameful, a fortnight later against Hearts at Tynecastle he was subjected to similar abuse.
At the time the incidents were highlighted and condemned by fanzines, notably Not The View.
There has never been any sort of repeat at Celtic Park. There has been the occasional racist comment that has been quickly challenged and reported. There hasn’t been another racist chant inside the ground or recorded by travelling supporters.
Why STV opted to spend so much time on shameful incidents 30 years ago only their editorial team will know.
Perhaps they are planning a follow up to see if things have changed, if the issue is still a problem. They might want to track down and interview the fan that was making racist comments to a Macedonian child.
Being bolder still they might wish to contact Walters and ask him if he had ever before been in a dressing room without any Catholics or how he felt about the title winning sing-song at Tannadice in 1989 led by John Brown and Jimmy Bell?
