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International Review for the Sociology of Sport

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Research article

First published online November 20, 2009

Glasgow Rangers Supporters in the City of Manchester: The Degeneration of a ‘Fan Party’ into a ‘Hooligan Riot’

Peter MillwardView all authors and affiliations

Volume 44, Issue 4

https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690209344658

Abstract
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Abstract

On 14 May 2008 Glasgow Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg contested the UEFA Cup final at the City of Manchester Stadium. Zenit St Petersburg won the match but the event was marred by violent clashes between Glasgow Rangers supporters and Greater Manchester Police’s Tactical Support Group officers in Manchester city centre during the game. News coverage largely attached blame for the disorder upon Glasgow Rangers’ supporters, however, this article, principally drawing upon participant observation material supported by other relevant literature, will argue that responsibility is diffuse across a number of constituencies and that Rangers fans alone should not be blamed for the degeneration of a ‘fan party’ into a ‘hooligan riot’.

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1. Trouble actually began 15 minutes into the game.

2. See for instance, Bairner (1994, 2000, 2002), Boyle (1994, 2001), Bradley (1996), Burdsey and Chappell (2001, 2003); Finn (1994, 2000), Finn and Giulianotti (1998), Foer (2005), Giulianotti and Gerrard (2001), Moorhouse (1991a, 1991b) and Murray (1998).

3. Indeed, Celtic is widely believed to have been formed as a charitable organization to assist underprivileged Catholics in Glasgow (see Bradley, 1995, 2006; Finn, 1994; for further elaboration), although Murray (1998) argues that this narration of events could be disputed.

4. It has been argued that British nationalist views have helped Rangers’ fan groups to forge friendships with supporters of English football clubs who have also been historically painted as nationalistic (i.e. there are strong connections between Chelsea and Rangers’ fan groups, whilst on the day of the UEFA Cup final, I saw a small number of flags with both Rangers and Birmingham City club badges inscribed). Giulianotti and Gerrard (2001: 42) argue that these friendships constitute a ‘cool’ level of attachment with Rangers from fans of English clubs.

5. It is interesting to note that Foer (2005: 44) also points out that Celtic fans believe that the press unnecessarily reports negatively on them and their club.

6. To give some idea of the Champions League’s riches, Banks (2002) pointed out that in the 1997/8 season the Champions League generated £185m, with £100m awarded to participating clubs. The size of the potential revenues underline the revenue driven importance of qualification, with many big clubs framing group stage qualification as the ‘minimum acceptable level of on pitch success’ (Parkes, 2005: 22).

7. However, it is likely that at times during their data collection activities, some respondents may have spoken to them having almost forgotten that they were researchers, rather than part of the group.

8. The two semi-final ‘legs’ between the clubs both ended in goalless draws, meaning that the result was decided by penalty kicks.

9. This match was intended to be a non-competitive ‘warm-up’ game for the 2006/07 season.

10.

10. Bradley (1996) argues that the label ‘Fenian’ was first applied by John O’Mahoney to Irish nationalist organization members, after he founded the group in America in 1858. The group was dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish Republic in the 19th and early 20th century. Bradley (1996) further points out that the term is still used in Northern Ireland, Eire and Scotland today, with its initial meaning expanded to denigrate supporters of Irish nationalism.

References

Anderson, B. ( 1991 [1983]) Imagined Communities. London : Verso.