Celtic fans have been quick to take apart a so-called opinion piece in The Scotsman from John McLellan.
The Tory Councillor for Edinburgh City Council is a Director of the Scottish Newspaper Society and has pulled out a piece of fiction that The Sunday Sport would think twice about before publishing.
McLellan uses the article to promote himself as one of those nice, cuddly ‘Rangers’ fans who disassociates himself with all that horrible bigotry stuff, hating kaflikz and abusing anything related to Ireland.
We all know those types, the sneaky dangerous ones that are so disgusted by the Songs of Hate from Ibrox that they sit there on mute tapping their toes to the tunes.
The need to balance the article was way too strong for Councillor McLellan. Rather than pick out some minor issue to bring Celtic into the discussion he goes way, way overboard with a tale of being in the Celtic End at an O** F*** cup final and being surrounded by people discussing stabbing Protestants!
Yes, a national newspaper chose to run with that piece of fantasy.
Throughout his piece McLellan is at pains to point out how he isn’t really much of a football fan, opening up with a tear-jerking account of watching his brothers’ funeral from New Zealand.
According to his bio on The Scottish Newspaper Society website he worked in England from 1982 until 1993 when he got a job with the Edinburgh Evening News, the publishing companion to The Scotsman. ‘Old Firm Cup Finals have been something of a rarity in recent times, Celtic haven’t played either club in a Hampden final for over a decade.
A stint editing Scotland on Sunday followed for Merry McLellan before moving on to work for the Conservative Party and the Press Complaints Commission.
Strangely he has been keeping a low profile today, unable to add any detail to the shocking incidents that he witnessed at an unspecified ‘Old Firm’ clash where he was in the Celtic end after losing a bet.
By 5pm today more than 800 replies had been made to a tweet from The Scotsman. According to the BBC The Scotsman was selling 11,700 copies a day on average between July and December 2019. That figure is now likely to be under 10,000.
The idea a high-ranking journalist who “doesn’t follow football closely” yet admits “Rangers has been my team” since a boy, was in The Celtic End for a Old Firm Final having “lost a bet” is absurd! Setting aside the question how he got a ticket, why wait +/-20 yrs to share? 2/2
— ?CarlJungleBhoy? (@CarlJungleBhoy) May 22, 2021
Fans openly talking about “stabbing Protestants” or similar wording, is obviously made-up bullshit. Sure, there would’ve been scattered shouts of abuse about Huns (Celtic lost both) but I’ve not heard anything like that -EVER – yet he heard it the 1 time he was(n’t) there? LIAR!
— ?CarlJungleBhoy? (@CarlJungleBhoy) May 22, 2021
“Having stood in the Celtic end at an Old Firm cup final and heard fans talking about stabbing Protestants, don’t tell me sectarianism is a one-way street” | @johnmclellan https://t.co/bwSFf1WwrX
— The Scotsman (@TheScotsman) May 22, 2021
Since we’re indulging in history to appease the sevco hoards wonder if they’ll like this one, Ian Archer sacked for telling the truth pic.twitter.com/48GQDj1S3y
— Cookydooky (@cookydukey) May 22, 2021
What a staggeringly bad article. It is no wonder the newspapers are dying. Disgusting and irresponsible reporting. Peddling to the agenda of a club who have wrecked too many cities and are a national embarrassment- just like your paper.
— Schrodinger’s Cat (@trebletrebleye1) May 22, 2021
Comparing events which the whole nation saw and heard to things that only happened in his imagination.
— Cautious Dave (@cautiousdave) May 22, 2021
Hi John, I’m a reporter for “Things That Didn’t Happen,” magazine, and was wondering if you were available for an interview?
— James Doleman (@jamesdoleman) May 22, 2021
What a disgraceful tweet.
This Unionist rag is at it. Even if it is a quote, giving prominence to a blatant lie like this is to fan the flames.— TheTributeAct (@TheTributeAct) May 22, 2021
I’ve attended Celtic games for 48 years and stood in the Celtic End at cup finals many times. I’ve never heard anyone talking at a football game about stabbing Protestants. What were the chances of you experiencing it at your only attendance? Wow!
Or maybe you’re just a liar.
— Arthur Trubshaw (@OllytheG) May 22, 2021
And why (if true) you feel you need to speak out now ?
All my years home and away following Celtic I’ve never heard anything like this, must’ve been lucky every single game— Joe Miller (@joe_averagejoe) May 22, 2021
So they did John. We believe you. ??????
In response to unvarnished, unchallengeable facts of last week the best they can do try to shift the narrative is roll out some Edinburgh Tory with a conveniently uncorroborated anecdote.
— CG44 (@Ticketustastic) May 22, 2021