Neil Lennon: Representation Vs Reality

Neil Lennon: Representation Vs Reality

Rachel Lynch

Ballyfermot College of Further Education Dublin City University

Study submitted in part fulfilment for the award of Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media Production Management

August 2014

1 Â Â

SIGNED DECLARATION:

I hereby certify that this material, which I now submit for assessment on the programme of study leading to the award of BA Media Production Management is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work.

Signed: _____________________________ 29 August 2014

2 Â Â

ABSTRACT The purpose of this thesis is to examine how the media’s coverage of Neil Lennon former Celtic Football Club manager, may have resulted in the 2011 death threats, pitch side attack and 24 hour safely surveillance for him and his family.

It looks further at the sensationalism of stories that have been created by particular characters or groups within football. These characters have different cultural backgrounds that the media and football fans are well aware of. This paper highlights the use of media misrepresentation, it focuses on the language used when describing characters within football.

The main focus is on how the media misrepresents particular characters and sets of fans to sensationalise stories as to draw in the readers. Also on how incidents that happen on the field are reported on, and how two particular characters can participate in a similar incident but how one is referred to as a deviant and the other viewed as quite the opposite. To establish a connection interviews have been conducted from a number of people involved in football journalism, the media and also fans of clubs in Scotland and the North of Ireland who support clubs where sectarian abuse has been an issue for many years. And who have written about Neil Lennon during his time as Celtic manager and or as a player at the club.

These interviews will highlight how the media can choose certain characters in football to abuse due to their cultural backgrounds and beliefs, and how their coverage has lead to very dangerous consequences for many of these characters. Also the moral panic these stories can create amongst the public.

Various authors have covered elements of racism in sport in a similar context. Andy Bennett (2005) and Yigit Akin (2004) give an insight into how the media sensationalise stories to suit a publication.

Literature from Stanley Cohan (2013) presents the moral panic that the media generate towards one particular character in the media. From these readings there is a link that highlights how the media can destroy a player or managers career by influencing the public to believe a particular opinion based on that person.

The findings indicate that the media stories did influence certain attitudes towards Neil Lennon particularly during the year of 2011 and that acceptance of certain terminology used freely in society is problematic.

3 Â Â

In practical terms, the results emerging from this study will aid anyone looking to research further in depth the effects misrepresentation within the media has on somebody’s life and the implications it has. This investigation is necessary and currently extremely relevant due to the high profile of footballers and managers and how they are now reported on daily, they are characterised more so these days as celebrities than athletes. Many have claimed that the media coverage has taken over their life and in some cases they cannot leave their homes or lead normal lives.

The research questions that will be part of the central theme of this dissertation will be;

•

Do the media purposely misrepresent & sensationalise in football?

•

Was the attacks on Neil Lennon reported on accurately? Did the media represent him correctly?

4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

ABSTRACT

6

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

3

1. INTRODUCTION

7

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

9

2.1 Misrepresentation and Sensationalism

9

2.2 Creating Moral Panic and Deviancy

11

2.3 Sectarianism

12

3. An introduction into the Neil Lennon abuse case

14

4. The sectarian issues in Ireland that lead to the trouble in Glasgow

17

5. METHODOLOGY

19

5.1 Description of research tools

19

5.2 Reason for methodology application

19

5.3How will the research be carried out

20

6. Findings

21

7. DISSCUSION

24

7.1 Journalists 7.2 Football Fans 8. CONCLUSION

32

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

34

10. APPENDICES/ INTERVIEWS

37 5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would firstly like to thank all the tutors at Ballyfermot College of Further Education who have helped me throughout the last four years within the college.

A special thanks to all the lecturers who taught me in my final year of the degree. It has been the toughest year that I have endured in education but one I will never forget for all the right reasons.

I would also like to mention a very big thank you to all the journalists that gave their valuable time to be interviewed for this thesis and the football fans across both Ireland and Scotland.

To my mam and dad, Jackie, Alan who encouraged me to complete my final year of college and also to my friends who all deserve a special praise for having to put up with my endless nights of worrying over assignments and my constant complaining.

My project is dedicated to my father Alan, as for without him I would have little or no interest in sport and in particular Celtic Football Club.

6 Â Â

INTRODUCTION This research poses to try and prove how the media misrepresents characters within the footballing world. It will look at how the media cover events on and off the pitch and how true they tend to be.

It is essential to understand how people view stories represented to them in the media that are not football related, this will allow a broader context on this particular subject. This dissertation will focus on the media coverage of the attacks on Neil Lennon in 2011, while it will also highlight the issues surrounding the former Celtic manager before the attack at Hearts.

The research gathered for this thesis “Neil Lennon: Representation Vs reality” hopes to bring to the forefront a number of issues. The thoughts of many theorists will be explored and reviewed in relation to media misrepresentation in a broader sense of the word but will also be associated within sport and particular football. The word sensationalism which will be used throughout will be analysed and researched within the setting of football, with examples. These various examples will hopefully show how the media can influence its readers by how they consume the content they read.

Another concept to take on board will be the how these sensational stories can lead to moral panic due to the misrepresentation of the coverage. If we look at Glasgow Celtic Football Club former Irish manager Neil Lennon and the media’s role in the coverage of the attacks and death threats, we can see how he was portrayed in the media to his own fans at Celtic Football Club and also football fans from within Scotland and Ireland.

As explained above in the abstract the focus will be strongly centred on authors such as Andy Bennett (2005) who has studied media misrepresentation and how it can affect the people consuming it and also the people to whom the content focuses on.

Next is Yigit Akin (2004) who has carried out research in the area of sensationalism within the media and the effects that too can have on all involved. The section regarding the studies of moral panic will take a look at Stanley Cohen. Also author David Graeber (2011) who focuses on media misrepresentation through deviancy. Graeber’s studies will help this research when looking into the Neil Lennon case. He explains how the media acts as a form of pantomime, they choose the good guys and the bad guys for their own gain. In some cases this can be more tongue and cheek but as we will see with Neil Lennon this can have a dangerous impact on the “deviant” as they call him and the general public.

The media has taken it upon themselves over the years to decide what exactly is politically correct.

They also tend to influence the public to one particular belief of what is wrong and what is right.

With sectarian and racial abuse the media plays an essential part in how these stories are reported 7

on within the media and the moral panic that can be caused from these very stories. Along with the Neil Lennon’s abuse case and how that was reported on but also how other football related stories focusing around the sectarian element are presented to the public. Pat Fenlon is an Irishman who was tipped to take over as manager at North of Ireland side Linfield in 2013. The story generated plenty of media interest due to the fact if Fenlon did take up the role he would be the first Catholic manager to do so.

8 Â Â

LITRITURE REVIEW The literature review aims to help with the research of football in the media, in particular how and why the general media misrepresent or sensationalise certain stories day to day. Researching a number of works online from critics and authors will hopefully show the effects that misrepresentation has on the person in question and also on society as a whole. The link between how these people’s characters can be destroyed or how in some cases their lives can be put at risk.

•

Misrepresentation and Sensationalism

The research gathered will help form the answer to the questions posed. There are a number of theorists that have written many articles on media misrepresentation, some don’t cover the topic in regard to sport but the findings can be linked. How the media benefit from influencing their readership and therefore the public on a whole is something that has been researched for many years. The first book sourced was Culture and Everyday Life, Andy Bennett (2005). Although this book doesn’t cover the football, sectarianism or racism it applies the initial question of how the media influences people to conform or to take a particular view on a topic they have absolutely no interest on. Here Bennett reviews and includes his own theory of how the media manipulated the people just before WWII. Bennett writes that “The possibilities of manipulation of mass opinion through the media were particularity threatening” Bennet, A (2005). Bennetts theory is supported by many well known theorists. Noam Chomsky who wrote the book “Media Control” explains how “Mass media is the most powerful tool used by the ruling class to manipulate the masses. It shapes and molds opinions and attitudes and defines what is normal and acceptable. This article looks at the workings of mass media through the theories of its major thinkers, its power structure and the techniques it uses, in order to understand its true role in society” Chomsky, N (2010).

Chomsky also covers the topic of sport in particular sport. He discusses this in great depth. He believes that sport is “nothing more than a diversion that tries to entertain people through means which will intensify attitudes that support the interests of elites” (Chomsky, N. 2013).

While Chomsky applies his theory of conformity he also takes on board that people enjoy sport and sensationalized stories will attract many due to public interest. He believes that while these stories are written to entertain they also have another meaning and that is to preoccupy people with meaningless news so they are no longer concerned with the issues surrounding them.

9

“Take sports that's another crucial example of the indoctrination system, in my view. For one thing because it offers people something to pay attention to that's of no importance. That keeps them from worrying about things that matter to their lives that they might have some idea of doing something about. And in fact it's striking to see the intelligence that's used by ordinary people in [discussions of] sports [as opposed to political and social issues]. I mean, you listen to radio stations where people call in they have the most exotic information and understanding about all kind of arcane issues. And the press undoubtedly does a lot with this” (Chomsky, N. 1992).

Bob Franklin (1999) takes on another aspect to this he focuses on “news media reporting of social policy and how such coverage can influence processes of policy-making and implementation”. In his book Social Policy Media and Misrepresentation each chapter explores many different social economic factors that influence those opinions people generate. Although this book doesn’t comment directly on sport it does explain the cultural beliefs people hold and how the media can focus on those strong beliefs, which is a great example when looking at the Neil Lennon abuse case.

While Franklin studies the media role in a somewhat broader social context that suits this research perfectly, Yigit Akin (2004) focused on how the media influences the public by sensationalising their content, regardless of its negativity. Akin believes the public are not given the option of forming their own opinion and that the sensationalized stories are there to manipulate the public at whatever cost.

Timothy Chandler (2002) will be the main focus for the sectarian element of the study, his book With God on their Side: Sport in the Service of Religion focuses on religion and the culture that surrounds that very religion. It goes one step further that will help with the research of this project, it discusses how religion is in some cases is directly related to sport and in this case football.

Chandler explores the devotion of the fans and uses examples to highlight how “sport might operate in the service of a religious community” Chandler, T (2002).

There are a number of case studies which will support the dissertation question posed. One of the main chapters in this book focuses on sport and Catholicism in the North of Ireland. Chandler looks into the culture that surrounds the people within the area of Belfast in particular and how clubs like Linfield and Cliftonville support comes from either a Nationalist or Unionist support which in turn is strongly linked to the Catholic and Protestant culture. He applies his theory which he believes is people substitute the churches (places of worship) for the football stadiums. He looks into how the media within he North of Ireland class these fans within the social sphere and also how most if not all are referred to as “hooligans” by the media.

10

•

Creating Moral Panic and Deviancy

When media outlets run dry of any form of news content they have been known to sensationalise a story to generate interest. An example of this would be in the 1990’s in Ireland. The hostile environment in the North of Ireland had somewhat calmed down, then there was the ceasefire which seen the media with little or no content. It was something the journalists were not entirely used to as if all else failed on the news front there was always a story coming from the North of Ireland. Brian Hollywood (1997) argued that the media in Ireland needed another sensational story to grip the nation. That was of course the “ecstasy epidemic” Hollywood commented saying he believed this “ecstasy epidemic” was created by the press to fill papers and also to induce moral panic amongst the public which in turn would sell more papers.

“In a news-hungry, post-ceasefire Northern Ireland, journalists have seized upon ['Ecstasy's] widespread use as a story which has all the necessary ingredients to turn column inches into metres of ersatz menace and easy moralising. Its demonisation by the authorities has thrown worried individuals and social action groups into a moral frenzy” Hollywood, B (1997).

Many journalists who reported on the “ecstasy epidemic” support Hollywood’s findings with many admitting to over reporting on the issue due to lack of news, this they agree may have lead to an unwarranted moral panic among the Irish public at the time.

Stanley Cohan has worked on many pieces describing moral panic and his studies are normally applied when defining it. According to Andrew Keller through the workings of Stanley Cohen, moral panic is “when a condition, an episode, or groups of people which are a threat to society” Andrew Keller (2011). Stanley Cohen (1980) goes on to describe through his writings in his book Folk Devils and Moral Panic of “understanding the role of mass media in creating moral panics and folk devils” (Cohen 1980). Further on through his book, Cohen identifies six stages of moral panic in which he describes the various roles of the authoritative in society and identifies these figures as the “mass media, editors, bishops, politicians and “other right thinking people” as crucial players in fuelling the moral panic fire”. (Cohen 1980). Cohen (1980) also goes to describe previous moral panic created by the mod rock youth culture in the 1960’s and their ties to social deviance which he believed created this moral panic. According to Cohen, “The public image of these folk devils were invariably tied up to a number of highly visual scenarios associated with their appearance: youths chasing across the beach, brandishing deck chairs, running along the pavements”. Cohen (1980) 11

•

Sectarianism

Jon Magnus Løfgren Skeide (2010) from the University of Bergen researched the sectarian issues that are ingrained so deeply in both Ireland and Scotland, the research is titled Sashes and Rosaries Scottish Sectarianism and the Old Firm. Within this he goes back to the roots of the troubles and how both clubs Celtic and Rangers are viewed not just from within Scotland but indeed throughout the world. The study gives an insight into why figures like Neil Lennon would be highly respected from one community of Glasgow and deemed as a “hate figure” from within another and how the media can fuel a lot of the trouble between the two.

“The references to the early days of the rivalry are numerous in songs and chants, and the “Irish connection” (of both teams) is still widely seen in symbols such as flags and banners.” J, Løfgren Skeide (2010).

He looks further into how important identity is to the followers of both these football clubs, although it impossible to class each Celtic fan as an Irish Nationalist and every Rangers fans as a devout lover of the Queen it is something both clubs have been associated with over the many years.

For someone with little or no knowledge of either club, if they were to view a game between the pair they may mistake it for an international game between Ireland and England, due to the mass of tricolours on one side of the stadium and union flags on another.

“During a football match there is a very clear divide of “us” against “them”. The home team’s supporters are clearly separated from the away team’s supporters, and the two have separate entrances to ensure that there will be no clashes. The first thing that struck me when I attended an Old Firm game was the level of hostility from the very start. Immediately upon getting situated supporters start shouting insults, making offensive gestures and singing songs. This was true for both sides. Enormous flags were spread across the sea of supporters, and the waving effect this causes only strengthens the sense of unity observed among them. This all happened prior to the players entry, upon which the songs, insults and gestures only intensify. The insults that I could understand, were mostly centred around the “Orange” qualities of the other side. The Union Jack flag dominated the Rangers stands, as it seemed like every single supporter had one to wave. On top of this, there hung larger versions from the stands as well, often inscribed with slogans of varying natures, often in reference to Northern Ireland. The Celtic side was as dominant in their

12

use of the Irish tri-colour, which to a similar degree dominated their stands”. J, Løfgren Skeide (2010).

Skeide did note that although the stereotypical image of both fans was unfair, there is no mistaking the pride both have relating to their history, which happens to involve each other. Both clubs have come down hard on any form of sectarian element which arises from fans. I approached both Celtic and Rangers at the beginning of this thesis to request they send me on their official statement in regard to sectarianism, Celtic contacted me back with a link to information surrounding this topic, I never received a reply from Rangers.

The final piece of literature analysed was the book Minority Reporter: Modern Scotland's bad attitude towards her own Irish written by Scottish journalist Phil Mac Giolla Bhain (2013). The book blends pertinent articles and fresh observations on the controversial topic of anti-Irish racism in parts of Scotland.

Mac Giolla Bhain contends that if comments made about the Irish were made about other cultures they would be more readily accepted as racist. The legacy of anti-Irish racism is acknowledged in this book which explores its roots, causes and effects. Mac Giolla Bhain discusses The Famine Song, deemed by Scottish courts to be racist yet it remains to be condemned by many in the media.

The book looks at the time Neil Lennon spent not just as a player at Celtic Football Club but also during his time as player at the club. If focuses more on the anti Irish element and how the media targeted Lennon during this time. This book will allow me to look at the evidence presented and see how that very same media Phil speaks of helped to influenced people’s opinions of the man.

“Minority Reporter examines the life and times of Neil Lennon and why the Scottish media tried to excise the ethnic from their analysis when writing about his victimisation” Mac Giolla Bhain (2013).

13

An Introduction into the Neil Lennon Abuse Case What is sectarian and how do we decide on what is to be deemed sectarian abuse? According to the Collins English dictionary it is a “strong support for the religious or political group you belong to, which often involves conflict with other groups” (Collins Dictionary 2013). Nil by Mouth an organisation set up in Glasgow aimed at achieving a society free from sectarianism where cultural and religious diversity defines sectarianism as “Narrow-minded beliefs that lead to prejudice, discrimination, malice and ill-will towards members, or presumed members, of a religious denomination” Nil by Mouth (2014).

Neil Jarman (2005) who has researched the problems related to sectarianism in the North of Ireland defines it as bigotry, discrimination, or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion, class, regional or factions of a political movement.

On the 11th May 2011, Celtic travelled to Edinburgh to play a crucial Scottish Premier League game against Hearts. It’s a game that is usually quite hostile due to Hearts association with Celtics rivals Rangers. If Celtic won the game they would take the crowning of the league winners to the final day of the season.

It wasn’t long before Celtic were two goals up. Early in the second half a man ran towards Lennon in the dugout and grabbed him around the neck while he tried to punch him. The Hearts supporter was quickly restrained by Lennon’s background staff. Images of Lennon’s attack went viral and it wasn’t long before the whole world was talking about the Catholic manager attacked while on the sidelines. Sadly this wasn’t the first sectarian attack Lennon has endured while as manager at Celtic or indeed as a player. (APPENDIX 1) Lennon who was born in Lurgan County Armagh in Ireland began his sporting career playing GAA for Armagh before moving to England to further his career in football. He was a lifelong fan of Glasgow Celtic in Scotland. In 1994 Lennon played his first international game for Northern Ireland.

Although he experienced no trouble while playing for English side Leicester City it was his move to Celtic in 2000 that sparked the many years of troubles the Irishman would endure. The Northern Irish international team would generate support largely from the protestant community. Although Catholics play for the country few are found in the stands.

14

“Sectarian divisions in football in Northern Ireland largely dictate that Catholics follow Celtic while the Protestant population supports Rangers. As such, wearing the green and white of the Glasgow team was considered a greater crime than Lennon’s religion, ignored beforehand. When Northern Ireland played Norway in Belfast’s Windsor Park in March 2001, a section of the crowd abused Lennon. He considered his future at that time. But worse was to follow. With Lennon due to captain his country in a match against Cyprus in 2002, a death threat was made via a phone call to the BBC. Lennon quit international football” Roberts, L. (2011).

He was assaulted in 2008 in the street while part of the coaching staff at Celtic. The two men were arrested and sentenced in 2009. Lennon was subjected to even more attacks when he became Celtic manager in 2010. In January 2011, bullets were sent in the post to him, Derry born Celtic footballer Paddy McCourt and Belfast born Niall McGinn. They were intercepted by the Royal Mail before they reached the intended persons.

Although many were initially shocked by the treatment Lennon endured many of the media outlets choose to over look the anti Irish abuse he received and in some cases blame him himself for the abuse he received. The Guardian tried to look in dept as to why the Irishman was subject to so much hate, they went with the headline “Football: Why do people want to kill Neil Lennon?” Mc Kenna, K. (2011).

“For the past decade Celtic's bellicose manager has endured death threats and physical assaults.

Sectarian prejudice could explain it, but some say he brings it upon himself. Kevin McKenna meets the most victimised man in football” (APPENDIX 2) The media in some cases almost played down the abuse Lennon had received and as noted above in some cases alluded to the fact that the abuse he received was warranted.

Scottish journalist and editor of website Scotzine Andy Muirhead wrote a piece after the Daily Record went with the reckless headline “Who’s more hated at Ibrox? Is it Lennon or the taxman?”

Muirhead went with the title “Are the Daily Record inciting hatred against Celtic Manager Neil Lennon?”

“The question is how can the Daily Record get away with such a headline that could lead to those elements who hate him with a passion into attacking the Northern Irishman? Yes it lists the taxman as another answer – but when was the last time HMRC had to deal with 11 years of assaults, death threats and bouts of depression.

15

In my opinion the article relevant to the back page headline, written by Keith Jackson is inciting hatred. Would Jackson, the sub-editors, the sports editor and the Daily Record get away with such an article, such a headline if it had ethnic minorities shown, in regards to an article about the BNP, the English Defence League or the KKK? Would they publish a headline – Who is more hated?

Blacks or Jews – of course they wouldn’t because this would be tantamount to inciting hatred and even delving into racism” Muirhead, A. (2011). Muirhead posses an interesting question. Would this type of headline be acceptable if Lennon was another nationality?

On the 25th April 2011 The Mail Online wrote about Lennons encounter in the last Old Firm of the season. This meeting has always been hostile the game was in Ibrox, Rangers home ground and the fans were ready for a showdown. The week before seen Lennon have bombs intercepted addressed to him and also a number of death threats investigated by the police. The atmospheric affair was all over 0-0 after 90 minutes leaving the league virtually balanced between both Glasgow clubs with only five games to play.

“Just five bookings, Georgios Samaras's missed penalty, admirable restraint in the stands and 0-0 at the final whistle. Handshakes all round, no square-ups, we were almost there. And then it came.

Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, was perfectly entitled to walk to his supporters in the Broomloan Stand. He was entitled to punch the air and soak up an atmosphere devoid of the usual poison. That should have been that.

After the week Lennon had been through, most would have opted to keep their head down and let the performance of their team speak for itself. It became apparent some time ago, however, that the hate figure of the Rangers support has never been one for dodging the limelight. Not here, not at Ibrox” McGowan, S. (2011) APPENDIX 3 As the final whistle went Lennon walked towards the Rangers support and cupped his ears as the opposing fans booed him. “As he walked to the tunnel he put his hands to his ears. Lennon urged the home fans to give it their all, to do their worst. Some might say he was daring the hard of thinking to go further” McGowan, S. (2011)

Neil Lennon spoke with The Belfast Telegraph just before his departure from Celtic Football Club.

He discussed the media’s portrayal of him, he told them “I'm not the villain and am sick of media portrayal”. He spoke about the issues he has faced after missiles flew past his head as he watched 16

the League Cup semi between Aberdeen and St Johnstone at Tynecastle at the beginning of the year. Lennon eventually had to depart the stadium early. "I don't want it," Lennon said.

"I don't need it. I'm not happy with some of the stuff that has come out regarding myself in terms of journalists saying, 'He attracts it, it's his controversial, confrontational nature'.

"For me, that's very irresponsible. I am no more confrontational than any other manager in the SPFL. However, when it's an issue regarding me, it seems to be imbalanced.

"You cannot have people throw coins at you when you are sitting there trying to do your job. And yet some people in the back of their minds think it's my fault. Why this happens, I don't know.

"In the past there is no question there were sectarian elements to what happened to me. People want to bury their head about that. I don't, I want it said and I want something done about it. Last week there was no evidence of a sectarian element, but certainly a hooligan element."

Lennon added: "It's getting harder to comprehend because I don't think I have done anything to warrant it. I think my players, myself, my backroom team conduct ourselves in the best way.

"When there are flashpoints, which happens to every manager, it gets highlighted and blown into the stratosphere." McCafferty, G. (2014).

An introduction to the sectarian issues in Ireland that lead to the trouble in Glasgow Having studied Neil Lennon’s background it is important to look into where these cultures all came from. It dates back years, the North of Ireland has no doubt had a huge hand to play in it due to mass immigration to Scotland and the Ulster plantations here in the 1600s. Although the most noted of rivalries would be Celtic and Rangers, in Ireland there are just as many with the same cultural links attached.

Linfield Football Club is a club based in Belfast. The majority of their support comes from south Belfast. Sectarianism has been an issue at the club for many years, like a number of clubs in the North of Ireland. Linfield supporters have links with Glasgow Rangers and regularly hold friendly fixtures for their fans in Belfast.

17 Â Â

“In 1948, Belfast Celtic withdrew from the Irish League after years of sectarian crowd problems culminated in a St Stephens Day match against Linfield at Windsor Park which ended in a pitch invasion and riot in which Belfast Celtic's Protestant centre forward, Jimmy Jones, suffered a broken leg” Walbanke, D (2013).

Belfast Celtic removed themselves from the Northern Irish League after that game claiming sectarianism had destroyed the game and that they would no longer play in a league where their own players are assaulted on the pitch.

“Since 2008, the number of incidents has decreased. However, in February 2014, Linfield were fined £3,000 and Cliftonville were fined £3,250 by the IFA following sectarian chanting from sections of both sets of supporters during a County Antrim Shield semi-final at Windsor Park in October 2013. Cliftonville's fine of an extra £250 came as a result of their fans causing an 'explosion' during the game. Both clubs criticised the decision, and expressed their intent to appeal against the fines. In April 2014, the punishments were rescinded on appeal” Walbanke, D. (2013).

Linfield’s biggest rivals are Glentoran their derby is referred to as the “Big Two”. Previously the tagline was used for both Belfast Celtic and Linfield until they left the league. Linfield and Glentorans rivalry is unusual to what some would expect. Both clubs have a large unionist following.

“Both teams are predominantly Protestant, however Glentoran has fielded Catholic players and had Catholic fans for much of its history. Linfield fielded relatively few Catholic players prior to the 1980s, which led to an accusation that the club held a policy of not signing Catholic players.

However, the existence of such a policy has been disputed by some, including well-known local journalist Malcolm Brodie” Armstrong, A (2001).

In 2013 Dublin manager Pat Fenlon left his managerial position at Edinburgh club Hibernian. In February 2014 it was rumored he was to the up the position of manager at Linfield, sending the media into a frenzy. The Belfast Telegraphs headline read “Catholic manager Fenlon tipped to take over at Linfield”. “A Catholic football manager from the Republic of Ireland is the frontrunner for the top job at Irish League giants Linfield” Kilpatrick, C. (2014). Appendix 4 The headline prompted an online social media outrage. What was the need for the use of the word Catholic? And more importantly why would it matter whether or not Fenlon was Catholic?

18

METHODOLOGY This research study seeks to analyse how the media reported on the attacks on Neil Lennon during his time as Celtic manger and more importantly how those reports lead to the public’s opinion of the man.

This next section will explain why the particular research approach was chosen.

•

Description of Research Tools

The chosen methodology for this dissertation will be qualitative research. This will be conducted in the form of in-depth, open-ended interviews. Theses interviews will be obtained from a number of people across different sub culture groups. The people within these groups were chosen for this research due to their knowledge of football, and also their cultural background. The football fans come from a diverse list of fans that support a mix of football teams in Scotland.

A number of journalists and people who work within the media were also approached from Ireland, England and Scotland. Some have covered the Neil Lennon stories others haven’t but are familiar with both Lennon and the stories surrounding him.

The methodology of this thesis will take on a number of different opinions and views. Obviously the backgrounds and cultural differences between both sets of football fans will be interesting. It’s important to find out whether these fans believe how this topic is reported in the media is misrepresented or is it sensational journalism that tends to cause moral panic amongst readers? Is sectarianism an issue does it exist or is it just another way to fill up the pages and tarnish football fans? Is the anti Irish problem glossed over and do the people who receive the press highlighted in a bad way through no fault of their own?

•

Reasons for Methodology Application

“Qualitative research is characterised by its aims, which relate to understanding some aspect of social life, and its methods which (in general) generate words, rather than numbers, as data for analysis” Patton, M. (2002).

The reasons qualitative research was used in the research for this thesis was due to the fact I needed to establish whether the media do misrepresent certain sub cultures within football but also do people feel certain characters within the media are treated unfairly. The specific groups chosen were done so as to insure there was a non bias approach to the research that would in turn affect the

19

findings. Interviewing football fans from a mix of football teams in Scotland will show that the research was well planed and also that the findings were well supported.

The aim of this research is to gather information on people views on how a story is presented to the media regarding well known character like Neil Lennon. How the stories regarding his attacks were reported on and more importantly did those stories influence the views of the public towards his character, it will also take on board the views of fans and how they feel the media represent football fans.

Interviews taken from these fans will give a stronger insight into how these fans see the media’s reporting on football but also whether they feel there is an anti Irish problem that was the cause of the attacks on Neil Lennon or whether he simply “brought it on himself”.

Interviews with eight journalists from Ireland, Scotland and England will determine whether or not the media covered the topics accurately and responsibly. These journalists and people from within the media have all been selected due to their backgrounds, with many of them football fans themselves.

•

How will the research be carried out?

The interviews for the research of this thesis will be done on a one to one based, over the phone or through email depending on where the fan or journalist is based. The only piece of information any of the candidates will be given is that “this is a study on the media representation of Celtic manager Neil Lennon over the past four years as Celtic manager. Journalists will receive slightly more information regarding the study for legal reasons.

20

FINDINGS This section is organised into a number of sections, to highlight key themes and results emerging from the interviews conducted from both football fans and journalists. The analysis of the findings was conducted with the express aim of satisfying the purpose statement and research questions.

Interviews Journalists and people within the media– The Participants 1. Dave O’ Grady Ireland Radio Broadcaster – Talking Sport 2. Kieran Caw Scotland Editor & Writer – Celtic Journal 3. Angela Haggerty Scotland Journalist – The Drum 4. Cillian De Burca Ireland 4FM & Radio Na Gaeltachta 5. Jude Collins Ireland Irish Writer & Broadcaster 6. Daniel White England Freelance Journalist 7. Anon 21

Scotland SPFL – Twitter account page 8. Andy Muirhead Scotland Journalist Scotzine

Football Fans – The Participants 1. Scott Kennedy Scotland Motherwell Football Club 2. Callum Kane Scotland Hibernian Football Club 3. Jamie Hall Scotland Aberdeen Football Club 4. Robert Ryan Scotland Rangers Football Club 5. Marc McArdle Scotland Celtic Football Club 6. P. Mac Phail Scotland Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club 7. Daniel Robertson 22

Scotland Hibernian Football Club 8. Sue Shepherd Aberdeen Football Club From the interviews with both journalist and football fans there were three main topics that arose.

First was Sectarianism and Anti Irish racism, Neil Lennon and the media and finally Racism, Moral panic and sensationalism, all of which were answered in great depth by all participants.

Out of the eight journalists interviewed all but one had been a victim of sectarian abuse at one stage in their life. Of the eight football fans interviewed five had been the victim of sectarian abuse, while three had not one had witnessed it. In regard to the anti Irish prejudice, all but one fan believed this was still a problem in 2014.

Next the topic was Neil Lennon and the media. This part of the interview focused on how Lennon was reported on and more importantly if those reports were accurate. Almost all of the journalists commented on how Lennon was reported in much of the press as an “aggressor” or as the man that in sighted hatred. Their following answers did not back up the media representation, as you will see in the discussion many praised Lennon and criticsed the media for the image they portrayed of him, to which most seen as unjust.

The fans likewise backed up the views of the journalists although fans did claim that Lennon at times could be a fiery character they were in agreement that the media overstepped the mark many a time when approaching stories with some believing that they had influenced some of the attacks.

Finally the topic of moral panic and sensationalistion of stories by the media. Journalists voiced their opinion saying that the MSM at times were irresponsible in how they reported on stories about Neil Lennon particularly during the time of the threats on his life and the attacks. The fans were largely of the opinion of yes the media do tend to sensationalise stories but in their view that’s just how the media works in particular the tabloids.

23

DISSCUSION Journalists •

Sectarianism and Anti Irish racism

Andy Muirhead writer and editor of Scotzine explains how his encounters with sectarianism have always been when football has been involved “The only time I have encountered sectarianism has been in a football setting. Be it in a football ground or when discussing football in a pub or online.

The most venomous sectarianism I have been on the receiving end of has been online as many perpetrators believe they are anonymous and free from the repercussions of their actions”.

4FM & Raidió na Gaeltachta presenter Cillian de Búrca explained in his interview how sectarianism has affected him “I’ve been both verbally and physically assaulted because of my religion”.

English journalist Daniel White has experienced sectarian abuse yet what he explains as sectarianism relates more to Irish racism “Playing football I have been called a “fenian bastard” a “paddy tw*t, abuse linked to blowing other people up and told to “fuck off back home to the IRA”. I don’t have an Irish accent – a slight one on some words, but it is usually because when I play 5-aside I wear a Celtic top”.

All eight journalists agreed that yes Irish racism is still an issue today particularly in parts of the North of Ireland and also in Scotland but that the issue is not as bad as it once was.

Angela Haggerty Journalist with The Drum believes much of what people refer to as sectarian abuse is in fact Irish racism. “Much of what is considered sectarian is actually racism, and historically there is plenty of evidence to support this point. I personally prefer to use either the terms ‘racism’ or ‘bigotry’ when discussing issues in Scottish football instead of sectarianism, which has been a catch-all word to slap on to a range of incidents. The effect is that everything is simply dismissed as the ‘sectarian’ problem, and the cultural and ethnic issues are then sidelined and ignored. This is completely unproductive. Throwing money at solving ‘sectarianism’ will produce little effect when religion isn’t the core problem, only part of the symptom” Haggerty worked on the story of Rangers financial collapse found herself a target of this prejudice.

In January 2014 a 41-year-old man, David Limond, was given a six-month prison sentence for sending a threatening communication to her. It took the form of an abusive tirade on his “Rangers Chat” podcast “He featured me as “Taig of the day, Irish of the day, scum of the day, tim of the day” and encouraged his listeners to “hit her with everything you’ve got”. He also referred to me 24

as a “provo cunt”, which is a political reference to the Provisional IRA, an Irish Republican group.

The language and context again points clearly to a hatred of my Irish ancestry. When Mr Limond was found guilty, the sheriff told the court that the crime has been not just religious, but racial. That was a step forward in Scotland in terms of correctly identifying the problem”.

Haggerty’s case explains how the issues regarding Irish prejudice is still prevalent even in 2014.

Haggerty also makes the point that the terms “Fenian”, “Taig” and “Tarrier” are not simply directed at Catholics as Catholics of Italian or other extraction do not face the same hostility. The reason for that she believes is because religion itself is not the issue, Catholicism just happens to be attached to Irish immigrants and their ancestors in Scotland, here she says lies real problem – the Irish.

•

Neil Lennon and the media

The interview moved onto the topic of Neil Lennon and how he was represented in the media followed by was that a fair representation, this section of the interview is what will answer the main question to my thesis of media misrepresentation. Of all the candidates interviewed one underlining issue was outlined from the very start. Almost all journalists commented on how Neil Lennon was reported about by many media outlets as an aggressor or as the man that in sighted hatred.

“I have written in depth about Lennon and how the media paint him, he has been shown as snarling, angry and out of control in most images published by the MSM. Whether confronting referees, opposition players and managers – yet when someone else does it they are showing emotion, passion and a desire to be the best”. Andy Muirhead “Neil Lennon was portrayed heavily in the Scottish media as a snarling Irishman with an inability to control his temper and tendency to cause trouble. More in depth exploration of that image has in fact shown a very different character to the one portrayed. Neil Lennon’s recent appearance as a World Cup football pundit on national television shed an entirely different light on the man than was portrayed in Scotland” Angela Haggerty “Neil Lennon was portrayed shamefully by most media outlets not only when he was manager but also as a player” Kieran Caw “Portrayed as antagonistic, aggressive & complaining. I would say individuals within the tabloid/online/phone in type media could be seen to portray him unfairly at times”. Anon

25

The main question looking to be answered was that was Neil Lennon misrepresented within the media during his time as Celtic manager. As the examples above suggest the journalists interviewed believed Lennon was reported on as being the “bad guy” and the aggressor and in many cases the term “brought it on himself” was used to describe the coverage. When asked whether or not this was an accurate representation of the man they all agreed it was not.

Although the journalists agreed the Lennon was portrayed as an angry and aggressive man all agreed that this was an unfair representation of the former Celtic manager.

Haggerty felt that portraying a football manager as a bit of a hot head is one thing “but the longrunning implication that his very existence “brings on” assault, abuse and attempted murder is incredibly irresponsible journalism”. Daniel White spoke of the media and how their representation of Lennon would not be accepted in the English press. He also made an interesting point as to how Lennon’s representation would have been viewed in England if it had involved an English manager.

He believed there would be absolute outrage if they received what Lennon had received. White suggested because it was in Glasgow and Scotland and he managed Celtic it was seen as bordering acceptable and the norm. He posed the question, why?

Andy Muirhead who covered the attacks on Neil Lennon in great depth explained his views on the Irishman. “He is certainly, passionate and can be an aggressive character, however so can every manager and player on the park. Having met and talked to Lennon away from football and within a football setting also, the MSM seemed to target Lennon citing him as a controversial character – it was far from fair Just listen to former Rangers player Derek Johnstone claiming Lennon is in trouble after he was targeted by a thuggish Hearts fan on the sidelines. DJ did not criticise or condemn the fan for attacking Lennon, he condemned Lennon for defending himself after being attacked. This is just one comment from one pundit”.

The example used by Muirhead of the attack at Tynecastle on a whole explains perfectly how some of the media outlets decided to ignore the seriousness of that attack in particular. Lennon who had just been assaulted on live television and broadcast around the world was criticised for pushing the attacker away.

This incident was mentioned quite frequently with Kieran Caw also mentioned Derek Johnstone's running commentary of Neil Lennon’s physical attack at Tynecastle which to him stands out above all the rest.“Johnstone, live on radio, instead of condemning the mindless attack from John Wilson, screamed about Neil Lennon "kicking out" at a supporter and claimed he would be in trouble due to his behaviour. For anyone not watching the game on TV and instead listening to Derek, you 26

couldn't have blamed them for taking a dislike to Neil Lennon who, as Johnstone made it sound, kicked the innocent Hearts supporter” Dave O’Grady who is a radio broadcaster with Talking Sport in Ireland never wrote about the Lennon attacks but he can recall a number of issues with the media at the time. “I particularly remember there was a headline with Neil Lennon’s head and the word ‘Target’ underneath. This stood about because he is supposed to me a football manager and not a political figure. I couldn’t believe this. I was surprised that these maniacs would target football managers ahead of politicians”. O’Grady also believed the representation of Lennon in the media left him open to more attacks “It was almost giving the criminals the publicity and I think it ultimately kept them interested in terrorising Neil Lennon”.

Journalists mentioned many other cases where the media fuelled much of the hatred towards Lennon and backed it up with the opinion that if the media acted like that in England it would simply not be accepted so again why in Scotland?

Haggerty outlined two pieces that generated around the time of the attacks, the first was the “Neil Bomber” headline and the “Who is more hated at Ibrox” segment. She mentioned Scottish journalist Graham Spiers work in the Herald, and how it was some of the only material to broach the subject of anti-Irish racism but she also commented on how it lacked the courage to attribute Lennon’s experiences to the prejudice of those targeting him, and how it failed to put an end to the “he brings it on himself” portrayal.

“In my view, that reflects the point that Scotland is not yet ready to face its anti-Irish problem, and its journalists will instead only pay it lip service from time to time when it becomes unavoidable, but still manage to shut down the conversation by attributing blame to the victim instead of the tormentors”.

•

Racism, Moral panic and sensationalism

The final section of the interview focused on the media and the part they play in sensationalising stories and influencing the public. The findings showed that yes the media do have a tendency to sensationalise stories as that is what helps sell papers. Although many agreed that the Scottish media’s role during the time of Lennon’s attacks was a dangerous one. Haggerty said that when it came to issues like racism, the Scottish media has been irresponsible in using it to “stir up” the audience, the “Who’s more hated at Ibrox! Headline is a strong example of that. “This is entirely 27

against journalism codes of ethics whether a writer/publication is reporting on news, sport, entertainment or anything else”.

An issue that was mentioned by many journalists interviewed was the discussing sensationalised media or to some extent exaggeration was the Old Firm “Shame Game”. The game took place on the 2nd March 2011 and saw multiple arrests along with a bust ups on the pitch with managers and players. Andy Muirhead saw nothing unusual for an OF game “I think the media along with politicians used it as an excuse to blow things out of all proportion. I see worse examples of on and off field violence each week and there are not political meetings held to curb these. Where is the meeting re. Alcoholism and trouble on the streets of Scotland cities most nights? It was bandwagon jumping”.

That game saw three Rangers players sent off, a referee manhandled several times and around 30 fans arrested for all manner of offences.

28

Football Fans •

Sectarianism and Anti Irish racism

The same questions were presented to football fans of a list of different clubs in Scotland. Of the eight football fans interviewed five had been the victim of sectarian abuse, while three had not one had witnessed it. In regard to the anti Irish prejudice, all but one fan believed this was still a problem in 2014.

Aberdeen fan Sue Shepherd believes sectarianism and anti Irish sentiment is still very prevalent today. “I am an Aberdeen supporter and I see this from a neutral perspective because we are not exposed to these issues in the North East. It is an issue within certain areas in Scotland but in my view bigotry stems from the uneducated”. Callum Kane season ticket holder at Hibernian has encountered sectarianism in the workplace, at the pub and also at sporting events. He also believes sectarianism and anti Irish prejudice are “huge issues in Scotland in 2014”.

Celtic supporter Marc McArdle who is also a freelance sportswriter believes anti Irish prejudice is still an issue but in his opinion it exists to a lesser extent than previously. Ranger’s supporter Robert Ryan has not personally been a victim of sectarian abuse but he does note an incident in his interview regarding a job interview “I’ve heard a local hotel owner say ‘Oh St something (‘re the CV), not hiring him’ though that may have been easily a joke & just bragging but the sentiment is there I dare say”. Ryan comments that he doesn’t believe anti Irish prejudice is an issue today “I don’t see that locally certainly. And even nationally. We are in an era when the likes Graham Norton, Terry Wogan, Eamonn Holmes, Dara O'Briain, Gloria Hunniford are popular. I think people can look for an issue that isn’t there”.

Jamie Hall an Aberdeen fan has witnessed sectarian abuse first hand growing up in the west of Scotland. Not only does he believe that in certain areas of Scotland is anti Irish prejudice an issue he also believes the problem seems to be on the rise again.

•

Neil Lennon and the media

The football fans opinions related very similarly to the opinions of the journalists. Marc McArdle believed Lennon was portrayed in two was in the media. The first was of him as an angry, aggressive and provocative figure both as a player and a manager. McArdle believes this to an extent was absolutely true, however what was completely unjustified was the insinuation (and at times, completely open suggestion) that he deserved abuse and brought it upon himself.

29

“I believe that when things really escalated in this country, where Lennon was receiving viable explosive devices in the post, the media got a fright and realised how dangerous a message this was to be delivering, whereby they toned down the latter part of their ideas”.

Callum Kane said how he felt the tagline of sectarian was merely a way of hiding the real issue. “I remember all the attacks on Neil Lennon were portrayed as sectarian attacks. Most attacks in my opinion involved anti Irish racism this was never never mentioned in the Scottish mainstream media”.

Motherwell supporter Scott Kennedy’s only real interest in Lennon was what he was doing as a football manager although he felt the media made it seem that Lennon brought things on himself.

Kennedy felt Lennon’s use of social media at times was inappropriate and this may have put more focus on him but that from a personal experience he felt Lennon was “a welcoming and helpful man”.

When asked how Lennon was portrayed in the media Rangers fan Robert Ryan felt it wasn’t good and often unfair. Inverness Caledonian Thistle fan P. Mac Phail said although Lennon was a fiery character and that “he did antagonise other supports with his touchline antics and was a player who you either loved or hated” he was a success as a manager of Celtic and unfortunately was “over exposed by the MSM due to the Demise of Rangers and being the only OF Manager left to talk about”.

When the football fans were asked about certain media stories they could remember Marc McArdle commented on the Daily Records piece during the attacks. The publication asked whether Lennon or the taxman were “more hated at Ibrox” with Rangers at the time heading for administration emotions were high. McArdle does go on to say although it a fair question given Lennon’s standing with Rangers fans it was “extremely irresponsible for a major publication to be suggesting this comparison to fans across the country” Daniel Robertson a Hibernian fan referred to some of the media attention Lennon received as “vile”. Although he faults the media at times he does believe that by the time the letter bombs were being sent that “the press soon plastered it all over the papers maybe they finally realised just how far things had went too far”.

30

•

Racism, Moral panic and sensationalism

The attitude from the fans is yes the media do tend to sensationalise stories but in their view that’s just how the media works in particular the tabloids. Callum Kane mentioned the “Shame Game” which was mentioned by a number of fans and journalists in this section of the interview. “When Celtic and Rangers played a few years ago Lennon had a small argument with his Rangers counterpart Ally McCoist. They went head to head and had words. You will see these types of incidents many times over the course of a season both on the pitch and between opposite dugouts.

This incident led to the game being labelled a 'shame game' with everyone from newspapers to the first minister commenting on what was a minor incident in my opinion. It was completely blown out of all proportion” Marc McArdle also mentioned the “Shame Game” he believed Rangers manger Ally McCoist was allowed to “claim ignorance/innocence, and that Lennon did not contest it, in a bid to move on from the incident. As such, partial blame was attributed to Lennon for reacting to what can clearly be seen is provocation from McCoist”.

Scott Kennedy sees sensationalism as part and parcel of the game and that the media look for the controversial issues to use to make their headlines.

31

CONCLUSION The findings that emerged from this study examining the media’s representation of Neil Lennon during his time as Celtic manager suggest that the main stream media coverage during the time of the death threats and attacks were not just inaccurate but were to a certain extent reckless. There were a number of journalists both here in Ireland and in Scotland who covered the stories in far more depth and approached the serious topics accordingly.

Neil Lennon is no longer a manager in Scotland so although there is room for further study it will now be almost impossible to add to the findings unless another approach is taken. The interviews from supporters of football clubs in Scotland and journalists from Ireland, England and Scotland would suggest that the main stream media coverage requires significant improvement as to not influence attacks similar to what Neil Lennon experienced again.

While time and resource limitations prevented the number of candidates to which were interviewed it is important to note that each candidate selected was chosen due to their diversity and in some cases their cultural background. The results cannot be a representation of all the people in Scotland or Ireland that support a Scottish club or report on those clubs either, nevertheless the findings provide enough evidence to support the conclusion that the main stream media did portray Neil Lennon as a man that brought many of these attacks on himself to which fans and journalists have agreed simply was not the case.

One specific area that the research highlights as an issue is the media’s use of the word “sectarian”.

Many fans and journalists interviewed believed it was simply a way to distract the public from the real issue, the issue of Irish racism to which the media rarely ever commented upon. While no definitive link between racism and the media was established, the media itself emerged as a possible influencing factor for the acceptance for Irish racism and also why Lennon’s attacks were viewed by many within the media as simply an attack on a man who “people just don’t like”.

More specific research is required before any detailed theories about the exact cause and effect processes can be constructed. To begin this process, there must be an interest into finding out where these issues stem from. It’s clear that the general public and the media are aware of these issues due to the interviews conducted in this research, so the question must be asked: Why haven’t the media addressed these issues? And why are headlines such as “he brings this all on himself” acceptable?

32

An important finding from the interviews was that almost all journalists and football fans recognised there is an issue with racism towards the Irish in Scotland yet a number of fans believed this had no link with Neil Lennon, even though he is Irish himself, an interesting concept and one that could be researched in the future.

This information will hopefully be of some use to people hoping to study further in relation to misrepresentation in the media and the effects it can have on that person’s personal life.

33 Â Â

BIBLIOGRAPHY Armstrong, A (2001). Fear and Loathing in World Football Global Sport Cultures. Oxford: Oxford International Publishers . p43-p52.

Bennet, A (2005). Culture and Everyday Life . Australia: SAGE Publications Ltd . p125-p176.

Chandler, T (2002). With God on their Side: Sport in the Service of Religion. England: Routledge. p90-161.

Chomsky, N (2013). Chomsky on "Football and other Sports". [online]. Available from: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA5jOdPiZWI>. [Accessed 11nd Apr 2014].

Chomsky, N. (1992). Noam Chomsky interviewed by various interviewers. Available: http://www.chomsky.info/interviews/1992----02.htm. Last accessed 11th Apr 2014.

Chomsky, N. (2010). Mind Control Theories and Techniques used by Mass Media. Available: http://vigilantcitizen.com/vigilantreport/mind-control-theories-and-techniques-used-by-massmedia/. Last accessed 10 Apr 2014.

Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of the Mods and Rockers – Stanley Cohan – Google Books, 2014. Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The creation of the Mods and Rockers – Stanley Cohan – Google Books. [ONLINE] Available at: http://books.google.ie/books?id=K9OxSYJQGXwC&pg=PR71&dq=cohen+deviance+definition+of +moral+panics+2nd+edition+1980&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YTgKUbfpHY26hAfOoGYCA&ved=0CEwQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=cohen%20deviance%20definition%20of%20mora l%20panics%202nd%20edition%201980&f=false [Accessed 12 February 2014] Graeber, D. (2011). Occupy Wall Street's anarchist roots. Available: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/11/2011112872835904508.html. Last accessed 4th Jun 2014.

Jarman, N. (2005). No longer a problem? Sectarian voilance in Northern Ireland. Institute for Conflict Research. 1 (1), p22-51.

Jarman, N. (2012). Defining Sectarianism and Sectarian Hate Crime . Challange Hate Crime . 2 (4), p2-p12.

34

Keller, A: Cohen’s Moral Panic Theory. 2014. Andrew Keller: Cohan’s Moral Panic Theory.

[ONLINE] Available at: http://dhsmediaakeller.blogspot.ie/2011/02/cohens-moral-panictheory.html.%20. [Accessed 14 February 2014] Kilpatrick, C. (2014). Catholic manager Fenlon tipped to take over at Linfield. Available: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/catholic-manager-fenlontipped-to-take-over-at-linfield-30015792.html. Last accessed 16th Apr 2014.

Mc Kenna, K. (2011). Football: Why do people want to kill Neil Lennon?. Available: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/sep/17/football-why-kill-neil-lennon. Last accessed 12th March 2014.

McCafferty, G. (2014). Celtic manager Neil Lennon: I'm not the villain and am sick of media portrayal. Available: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/celticmanager-neil-lennon-im-not-the-villain-and-am-sick-of-media-portrayal-29991056.html. Last accessed 26th July 2014.

McGowan, S. (2011). Why, Neil, Why? Celtic boss Lennon's ill-advised 'humour' falls on deaf ears .

Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1380185/Rangers-0-Celtic-0-Celticboss-Neil-Lennons-ill-advised-humour-falls-deaf-ears.html. Last accessed 25th July 2014.

McKendry, G. (2014). Lennon adviser: ‘Attacks on Celtic boss are Scotland’s shame’. Available: http://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/scotland/lennon-adviser-attacks-on-celtic-boss-arescotland-s-shame-1.211683. Last accessed 16th Mar 2014.

Muirhead, A. (2011). Are the Daily Record inciting hatred against Celtic Manager Neil Lennon?.

Available: http://www.scotzine.com/2011/09/are-the-daily-record-inciting-hatred-against-neillennon/. Last accessed 4th June 2014.

Patton, M. (2002). A Guide To Using Qualitative Research. Available: http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=3&sqi=2&ved=0CDc QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffieldresearch.msf.org%2Fmsf%2Fbitstream%2F10144%2F84230% 2F1%2FQualitative%2520research%2520meth. Last accessed 16th Apr 2014.

Purden, R. (2014). Neil Lennon stands alone as victim of the most shocking abuse. Available: http://www.irishpost.co.uk/sport/one-for-the-bhoys/celtic-neil-lennon-stands-alone-victimshocking-abuse. Last accessed 16th Jul 2014.

35

Roberts, L. (2011). Neil Lennon: a long-term victim of sectarian abuse. Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/8462657/Neil-Lennon-a-long-term-victim-ofsectarian-abuse.html. Last accessed 14th Apr 2014.

Walbanke, D. (2013). Clubs that Died: Belfast Celtic. Available: http://pitchedbattle.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/clubs-that-died-belfast-celtic/. Last accessed 16th Apr 2014.

36 Â Â

APPENDIX – NOTES/INTERVIEWS

APPENDIX 1

(The Daily Mail)

APPENDIX 2

(The Guardian) 37

APPENDIX 3

This image from the same piece above was described as, Provocation: Lennon faces Rangers fans as a policeman looks on nervously (The Daily Mail Online)

38 Â Â

APPENDIX 4

(The Belfast Telegraph)

APPENDIX 5

(Daily Record) 39

INTERVIEWS 1. Participant: Angela Haggerty Journalist at business magazine The Drum. Book editor for Phil Mac Giolla Bhain: Downfall, Minority Reporter.

What do you believe sectarianism is?

I believe sectarianism refers to division, discrimination and hatred on the basis of religion, different sects of the same religion, ie. Catholics/Protestants are opposing branches of Christianity, and Sunni/Shias are opposing branches of Islam.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

Yes, although much of what is considered sectarianism in Scotland is a misrepresentation in my view. Much of what is considered sectarian is actually racism, and historically there is plenty of evidence to support this point. I personally prefer to use either the terms ‘racism’ or ‘bigotry’ when discussing issues in Scottish football instead of sectarianism, which has been a catch-all word to slap on to a range of incidents. The effect is that everything is simply dismissed as the ‘sectarian’ problem, and the cultural and ethnic issues are then sidelined and ignored. This is completely unproductive. Throwing money at solving ‘sectarianism’ will produce little effect when religion isn’t the core problem, only part of the symptom.

In the 1920s/30s the Church of Scotland authored reports about the “menace” of the Irish race to society in Scotland. The Church made a specific distinction between Roman Catholics of a Scottish background and those of an Irish background. The problem was not religion, it was race. The divide that manifests itself in Scottish football began as a problem with race, not with religion. It is therefore not sectarian, and much of the language used in modern day incidents serves as simple pointers towards that. For example, ‘Fenian’, ‘Taig’ and ‘Tarrier’ are not insults simply directed at Catholics, they are directed specifically at Irish Catholics. Catholics of Italian or other extraction do not face the same hostility. The reason for that is plainly because religion itself is not the issue, Catholicism just happens to be attached to Irish immigrants and their ancestors in Scotland, and therein lies the real problem – the Irish.

As a journalist and editor who worked on the story of Rangers’ financial collapse I have myself been targeted by this prejudice. In January 2014 a 41-year-old man, David Limond, was given a sixmonth prison sentence for sending a threatening communication to me. It took the form of an abusive tirade on his ‘Rangers Chat’ podcast, where he featured me as “Taig of the day, Irish of the day, scum of the day, tim of the day” and encouraged his listeners to “hit her with everything you’ve got”. He also referred to me as a “provo cunt”, which is a political reference to the Provisional IRA, an Irish Republican group. The language and context again points clearly to a hatred of my Irish ancestry. When Mr Limond was found guilty, the sheriff told the court that the crime has been not just religious, but racial. That was a step forward in Scotland in terms of correctly identifying the problem.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

Yes it is still an issue, although the historical anti-Irish discrimination which prevented people in recent decades from finding employment and equal opportunities has largely gone. However, attitudes and incidents that are considered normal in Scotland and just part of the culture are actually quite abnormal. The experiences of Neil Lennon are a classic example of that.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

Neil Lennon was portrayed heavily in the Scottish media as a snarling Irishman with an inability to control his temper and tendency to cause trouble. More in depth exploration of that image has in fact shown a very different character to the one portrayed. Neil Lennon’s recent appearance as a 40

World Cup football pundit on national television shed an entirely different light on the man than was portrayed in Scotland.

During his time in Scotland Neil Lennon endured physical assaults, threats, vicious abuse and at its most extreme point he was sent a bomb in the post. The day after Trevor Muirhead and Neil McKenzie were found guilty of the bomb incident, one of the daily tabloids [either the Sun or the Daily Record, you may need to check this] ran the headline “Neil bomber” as a pun on “nail bomber”. It was incredible to me that a tabloid in Scotland thought a pun was appropriate when Neil Lennon’s life had been put at risk as a result of a vicious and sustained hate campaign against the Irish Catholic from the north of Ireland who dared to take a high profile position at Celtic, the Scottish club with the big Irish connection.

In another headline, which I think the club actually released a statement on and eventually received an apology for, as Rangers were going out of business – at a time when Rangers fans were becoming notorious for threatening journalists working on the story – the Daily Record ran the back-page segment “Who is more hated at Ibrox” before an Old Firm game. The feature showed the pictures of Neil Lennon and ‘Hector’ the taxman. It was a deeply irresponsible thing to do given that Neil Lennon and his family were living life under constant security.

Despite all of this provocation, when Neil Lennon reacted – as managers do; Alex Ferguson and Terry Butcher are a couple of examples that come to mind – to incidents on the pitch during games, he was portrayed as a troublemaker apparently so annoying that it was no wonder he was hated so much. Neil Lennon’s ethnicity was only scarcely examined in the Scottish mainstream media.

Graham Spiers approached the issue, but would again go on to portray Lennon as a hardman or streetfighter, fuelling the perception that it was partly his fault. It received fairer attention by the mainstream media outside of Scotland – Kevin McKenna in the Guardian is worth a look.

Lennon spoke only on a few occasions about the portrayal of him in the media and it was clear that he did not recognise it. At times he seemed exasperated and tired of living his life under such pressure.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

Absolutely not. Portraying a football manager as a bit of a hot head can be one thing, but the longrunning implication that his very existence “brings on” assault, abuse and attempted murder is incredibly irresponsible journalism.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

I was not a staff journalist when the attacks took place. Afterwards however I worked as a book editor for author Phil Mac GiollaBháin, and I worked on Minority Reporter: Modern Scotland’s Bad Attitude Towards Her Own Irish, which examined the case of Neil Lennon in some depth.

If so from what angle did the publication take?

Minority Reporter explored the treatment of Neil Lennon in Scotland; that included by those who despised, abused and attacked him, and the media coverage of Neil Lennon. Mr Mac GiollaBháin’s contention was that Neil Lennon had been unfairly portrayed by the Scottish media, and that the attacks he had endured were primarily a result of his Irish ethnicity.

Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

I’ve mentioned already the ‘Neil bomber’ headline and the ‘Who is more hated at Ibrox’ segment.

Graham Spiers’ work in the Herald stands out for being some of the only material to broach the subject of anti-Irish racism, but also because it lacked the courage to attribute Lennon’s experiences to the prejudices of those targeting him, and failed to put an end to the ‘he brings it on himself’ portrayal. In my view, that reflects the point that Scotland is not yet ready to face its anti-Irish problem, and its journalists will instead only pay it lip service from time to time when it becomes 41

unavoidable, but still manage to shut down the conversation by attributing blame to the victim instead of the tormentors.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

I cannot yet understand why more there wasn’t more aggressive, in-depth journalism following the attacks on Neil Lennon. When Lennon was attacked by John Wilson at Tynecastle stadium in 2011, his attacker was cleared of assault when an Edinburgh jury found the charge against him not proven. Despite Wilson actually admitting he’d committed the assault on the touchline at Tynecastle during a live televised game watched by thousands, the jury was not satisfied that Wilson had screamed “Fenian bastard” at Lennon before lunging at him. Because of that, the charge of assault with a religious aggravation could not be proven, and so Wilson – and this was after Lennon had been sent the bomb in the post – paid the price only for a much lesser breach of the peace charge. How it was possible in Scotland for this to happen when the victim had endured a sustained hate campaign was never looked at by the Scottish media. Where were the questions?

Similarly, during the trial of Muirhead and McKenzie, the charge of attempted murder was dropped to a conspiracy to assault charge. There was never any notable examination in the media of why that happened, nor why the court failed to bring motive into the case. Despite clear evidence throughout Lennon’s years in Scotland that he was a hated “Fenian”, Scotland’s courts consistently failed to examine the cause of the attacks he was enduring and actually tackle the ethnic problem.

Rather, we are to believe that Lennon was targeted with a bomb by two men – certainly one of whom is linked to Loyalist crime – who just didn’t like him, and the attack by John Wilson was just another random attack by someone who didn’t like him. Officially in Scotland, these crimes had nothing to do with either race or religion.

This linkhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-17869217provides a little side bar documenting some of Lennon’s experiences which might be helpful, although further court cases have taken place since that time as a result of online hate.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

I think as an entire entity it’s difficult to say. Celtic is the biggest club in Scotland and it is in the interests of the sports desks to keep a good relationship with the club in order to maintain access to it. It works in much the same way as Rangers relationship with the media and the ‘succulent lamb’ culture.

The treatment of Hugh Keevins is recent evidence of that. After writing an article unpopular with the club he was banned from media privileges.

Therefore as a club entity I don’t think media coverage is overtly negative, and Celtic often use the media to leak stories or set a narrative more favourable to the club.

I have criticism for Celtic for the club’s reluctance to tackle the media’s portrayal of individuals. In my opinion Celtic didn’t do enough to defend Neil Lennon throughout his unjustified and unfair media portrayal, and it doesn’t do enough to challenge the anti-Irish attitudes that continue to be directed at club employees and fans.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

See above.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

I support Celtic. Coming from a family of Irish background, growing up supporting Celtic was not only a hobby but a connection to that heritage.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

42

Yes. The stigma is that you are likely to come from an Irish Catholic background if you support Celtic, and in Scotland that is sneered at by some. Celtic fans have historically always been political and that is also portrayed negatively.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

Yes. The injustice of how Neil Lennon was portrayed in the Scottish media was felt deeply by Celtic fans, hence the slogan “We are all Neil Lennon”. The point was that such hostility from both abusers and the media was something the Irish Catholic community in Scotland had endured for decades. The mood in regards to Lennon’s treatment was not of surprised outrage, but a sense of being fed up with the community consistently being treated this way, and an exasperation at the blatentness of it in this day and age.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

I don’t think a stigma attached to ethnicity of religion can ever be justified, and when we talk about a stigma attached to being a Celtic fan, that’s what it really means.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

I think racism in football is still a problem and there have been examples of it in England and abroad. Sol Campbell and Mario Balotelli have both spoken out about racism in England.

The ‘media moral panic’ is in my view actually a positive thing. When there are alleged racist incidents in England the media is responding much in the way it should – heavy coverage with a strong air of condemnation; a news story will often prompt more exploratory articles offering opinions or at least questioning why it’s happening.

In Scotland, the treatment of Neil Lennon shows that the media’s response was largely to blame the victim, or to completely ignore the ethnic element of the abuse he was enduring. That is a sign of a far more dangerous problem. If the media is not tackling the problem, it’s a reflection of how deeply ingrained in that society the problem is.

To step outside of the racism issue in football, I’d say homophobia and sexism are quite prominent ingrained issues in football that we generally get quite littler coverage of across the board, both in Scotland and England. I’d argue it’s because there are still fundamentally bad attitudes in these areas at football that it has not yet gained the maturity to question. The lack of media coverage of these issues is a sign that there will be a long way to go in tackling those issues.

However, the coverage of racism in England shows that there is a general acceptance that the majority of people do not want these attitudes from the minority.

The lack of coverage, acknowledgement and even the lengths the Scottish media will go to in order to avoid bringing the subject up shows that there is a lot of work to do in Scotland.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

Don’t have a strong opinion on it.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

There will always be a tendency towards that from the sports desks – football and sport is theatrical and dramatic, that’s what then sells the papers.

However, when it comes to issues like racism, the Scottish media has been irresponsible in using it to ‘stir up’ the audience – the ‘Who’s more hated at Ibrox’ headline is a strong example of that. This is entirely against journalism codes of ethics whether a writer/publication is reporting on news, sport, entertainment or anything else.

43

2. Participant: Andy Muirhead Editor & Football Writer http://www.scotzine.com/ What do you believe sectarianism is?

When a person or people act in a bigoted manner towards a group or body of people due to different religious and cultural beliefs. For the most part in Scotland it is down to religious beliefs – significantly Catholic-Protestant. Not a new thing though and not just within football. But the media portray it as a football issue.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

Personally, the only time I have encountered sectarianism has been in a football setting. Be it in a football ground or when discussing football in a pub or online.

The most venomous sectarianism I have been on the receiving end of has been online as many perpetrators believe they are anonymous and free from the repercussions of their actions.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

Away from football I cannot say that I have seen any anti-Irish prejudice, I have seen plenty of it and sectarianism in football and not from just Rangers fans. I went to Celtic Park accompanying an acquaintance to a game between his side St.Mirren and Celtic a few years ago and around us all I heard were sectarian and anti-Irish comments. Such as get into these fenian bastards, these tattie munchers. Shouting at a player saying how he hoped he’d end up like Bobby Sands etc. Not once did the coppers or the stewards intervene.

While Celtic and Rangers are portrayed as the greatest perpetrators of sectarianism and bigotry – it is not just an Old Firm nor a West of Scotland issue.

It doesn’t help also the multitude of Orange walks we have here and those who go to watch etc. If the authorities wanted to prevent sectarianism being a blight on Scotland, they should tackle these marches first before football games.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

I have written in depth about Lennon and how the media paint him, he has been shown as snarling, angry and out of control in most images published by the MSM. Whether confronting referees, opposition players and managers – yet when someone else does it they are showing emotion, passion and a desire to be the best.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

He is certainly, passionate and can be an aggressive character, however so can every manager and player on the park. Having met and talked to Lennon away from football and within a football setting also, the MSM seemed to target Lennon citing him as a controversial character – it was far from fair Just listen to former Rangers player Derek Johnstone claiming Lennon is in trouble after he was targeted by a thuggish Hearts fan on the sidelines. DJ did not criticise or condemn the fan for attacking Lennon, he condemned Lennon for defending himself after being attacked.

This is just one comment from one pundit.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

Yes we covered a significant portion of the attacks primarily the parcel bombs and the assault at Tynecastle.

If so from what angle did the publication take?

We reported the news, we reported the facts and condemned those perpetrating the attacks.

44

Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

Honestly, I cannot remember off the top of my head.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

What I can remember though, is the foreign press coverage was hugely different than the coverage of the SMSM. The foreign press condemned and was disgusted by such attacks – in shock really.

SMSM were or at least some journos were painting a picture that because Lennon was Celtic manager and controversial that he brought it on himself. They didn’t come out and say it but it was implied.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

Different media outlets portray the club in different manners, likewise different journalists. Some portray them as an all powerful and dominant club, while others imply there is trouble brewing underneath and hidden away. While Peter Lawwell is seen as the ruler of Scottish football given how powerful he is.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

Again yes and no. Celtic will always have a greater say in issues within the Scottish game than say an Annan Athletic, and while Lawwell is within the SPFL and Scottish FA board – he is one of the few businessmen at board room level who can be called a success given what he has done for Celtic both on and off the park.

I find it funny that Celtic fans are now bitching and moaning about Lawwell not spending money yet this guy has arguably brought well over £50 million in transfers over the years – not to mention sponsorship, advertising and other business income – without him they would resemble a floundering whale in a paddling pool.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

Yes, Celtic.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

Yes, being deemed a gloryhunter – yet supported the club through its darkest period pre-McCann and then through the good times also. Far too many nowadays forget how bad it was before McCann came on the scene.

There is also a belief that if you support Celtic, then you are an Irish wannabe, Catholic, IRA supporter and a Protestant hater. While I can admit there are individuals like that in the Celtic support – I am certainly not. Proud to be a Scot, not religious at all and detest Irish politics being thrust upon us but brainwashed and clueless youngsters thinking it’s cool and wearing it as a badge of honour. Majority of them never experienced the troubles and most were not born at that time either.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

Yes. Papers will write about anything Celtic/Rangers whether positive or negative. Old Firm stories sell papers. However, there is no smoke without fire. With groups like the GB unfurling banners showcasing their ‘ideology’ it is hard to ignore.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

Same as above.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

45

Of course it is an issue. Celtic fans monkey chants to Diouf, Rangers fans barking at Nakamura chanting he eats dog, Rangers fans racially abusing their own layer outside Ibrox after a game – Maurice Edu. And these are just the instances making the headlines. Plenty of comments in the stands not heard by media or seen.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

The Old Firm ‘shame game’ it was nothing unusual for an OF game and I think the media along with politicians used it as an excuse to blow things out of all proportion. I see worse examples of on and off field violence each week and there are not political meetings held to curb these. Where is the meeting re. Alcoholism and trouble on the streets of Scotland cities most nights? It was bandwagon jumping.

That game saw three Rangers players sent off, a referee manhandled several times and around 30 fans arrested for all manner of offences. Yet Celtic were lumped into this when it was Rangers players who resorted to such antics.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

In a word yes. Controversy, sensationalism and twisting quotes to suit an agenda or a line of questioning is part and parcel of football no matter what country you are in. A whiter than white player giving quote about the game will sell less copy than a manager coming out and calling the referee a cheat and an absolute disgrace. The player may get a few lines, but the manager will get a double page spread.

3. Participant: Cillian de Búrca 4FM & Raidió na Gaeltachta presenter.

What do you believe sectarianism is?

Discrimination due to cultural and/or religious beliefs, although it is now mainly used in the context of religion.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

Yes, on several occasions. I’ve been both verbally and physically assaulted because of my religion.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

Without a doubt, on both sides of the border. In the north, sectarian tensions often result in violence, but I have also experienced prejudices based on religion during my few years living in Dublin.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

Most commonly, as a fairly patient man that was making efforts to take sectarianism out of football, despite the numerous threats to himself and family.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

Yes, I think it was on a whole very fair.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

No. 46

If so from what angle did the publication take?

N/A Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

When he was receiving abuse while still a player with the Northern Ireland team, it came across that his retiring from international football was a last resort. It seemed that he had not wanted to stop playing, but that when threats were made against his family’s safety that he was left with no other option.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

From what I saw at the time, most media outlets were united in condemnation of the incidents, so yes.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

As a club which is dominated by Irish supporters, that often bring politically motivated banners and flags to matches, sing politically motivated songs, and (particularly when Rangers were still in the SPL) had a underlying sectarian element in their support base.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

Yes, I know many Celtic supporters, and some do base their support for their club on an ‘Us and Them’ mentality; that they are Catholic and Celtic are “a Catholic team”, so that is the natural side for them to support. Many Celtic supporters are also very politically aware, with some fans having either mainstream or militant Republican beliefs.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

No, other than international football.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

In the north where I grew up, yes. Wearing a Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland football jersey in public effectively equates to being a Protestant or Catholic.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

No, the problem has existed for decades, and is one of the biggest marks left by colonialism in Ireland.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

N/A Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

It is a problem, but it may have been inflamed by intense media coverage in the past year or so. At around the start of 2014 the English Premier League was plagued with accusations of racism, and it eventually became an opportunity for tabloid newspapers to wildly speculate.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

The John Terry/Anton Ferdinand incident, while no doubt being a serious case of racist abuse, was dragged out for weeks by sections of the media as a way to sell newspapers.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

47

Yes absolutely, but this isn’t a problem within just sports journalism. When details are scarce, speculation and sensationalism becomes rife, particularly in tabloids.

4. Participant: Dave O'Grady (Ireland) Radio broadcaster Talking Sport TalkingSport.org What do you believe sectarianism is?

I believe sectarianism is when a person or persons are subjected to abuse due to their political or religious beliefs. I think it is seen when verbal or physical abuse is directed at people but a person of a different viewpoint.

For example, if a person is beaten up because they come from a certain section of the community. If there is an automatic stereotype placed on a person because of there beliefs or even because of where they live.

I think that sectarianism is visible in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Middle East. I believe the Israeli-Gaza conflict shows sectarianism at its worst.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

Luckily enough I have never been subjected to sectarianism. Coming from Dublin in Ireland, I have never encountered it. Even when I was in places like Belfast and Derry, I have never experienced it.

I was never in the North during the troubles nor during difficult times of the year such as the July marches.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

I think it is still an issue in some communities in Scotland and North Ireland. I am pretty confident that there is very little anti-Irish sentiment in England today. In fact, I think most English people have connections with Ireland through family and friends.

I do think this does occur among Unionist politicians and Loyalists in the North. For example, there can be arguments surrounding the waving of the Ireland flag on St Patrick’s Day across the 6 counties. Usually a compromise is met, but this day of ‘Irishness’ does seem to get under the skin of some who are loyal to the crown.

Also, I watched a debate on The Nolan Show on BBC NI, where they were discussing whether Northern Ireland should celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the Easter Rising. Several unionists argued to the point that they should not celebrate this event as it happened in a ‘foreign country’.

However, it was quickly pointed out that every year the Unionists celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, which may have been fought in a ‘foreign country’.

So I think that some Unionists will always say NO to anything Irish, regardless of the counterarguments.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

I think there was a missed representation of Lennon in the media. During the attacks, he was portrayed as being very brave in deciding to continue his job despite the threats he received.

There were some occasions where the media conveyed him as ‘inciting hatred’ but I think this was wrong. I think some media organisations mistook passion for inciting hatred.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

No, I do not think he was given fair treatment. He was criticised a lot because he was very outspoken. He spoke out against certain referee’s and those who run the leagues in Scotland. I don’t think this did him any favours with the media.

48

As always, the media hyped up the attack stories. Press conferences because more about the attacks and not about the football. It was almost giving the criminals the publicity and I think it ultimately kept them interested in terrorising Neil Lennon.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

No I didn’t cover this. It was a very political story and I prefer to talk about the football.

If so from what angle did the publication take?

Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

I particularly remember there was a headline with Neil Lennon’s head and the word ‘Target’ underneath. This stood about because he is supposed to me a football manager and not a political figure. I couldn’t believe this. I was surprised that these maniacs would target football managers ahead of politicians.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

Yes, I do think they were covered accurately. Most media did explain how it became a dark period for Scottish football and the game was suffering because of this. The media also highlighted the amount of football people and politicians who were coming out condemning the attacks. They also referred to the culprits as ‘maniacs’ and that’s exactly what they were.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

I think they are seen as a big European club that unfortunately live in the shadow of the Premier League.

Celtic get very good publicity for how their fans behave on a European night. They have become famous for the way their fans support the team. It is a club with a great reputation which can attract players.

At times, the media in the UK cover the negative aspect and the repercussions of the Old Firm rivalry and how it took over the city of Glasgow.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

Some of it is. Celtic are such a high profile club but they do have a small section of bigoted supporters which seem to let them down and give them a bad name.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

I support Aston Villa.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

I started supporting Villa in the early 90’s when they had so many Irish players. Thankfully this excuse have saved me from an stigma Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

Is the stigma justified in any way?

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

I am not too sure here! I believe in some countries it is. Serbia is a key example! Their soccer fans can be very racist at times and I don’t think enough punishment was dished out.

49

Serbia were fined less for racism than Niklas Bendtner was when he wore a pair of Paddy Power pants. There were some smaller European clubs that have been guilty of racism. I remember AC Milan players walking off the pitch during a pre-season friendly.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

Yes, the Roy Hodgson dressing room ‘rascism’. He made some ‘feed the monkey’ jibe before a match and it was not in a racist context at all, but as usual the English media completely over exaggerated it.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

Yes definitely. The press need to fill pages. Managers and players are so robotic these days in press conferences where they literally say nothing. The media need to squeeze life out of any non-stories in order to have some down on paper or flashing across the screen on Sky Sports News. Media over analyse everything and take things out of context all the time, but as long as it creates interest from the public, they will keep doing it.

5. Participant: Kieran Caw (Scotland) Editor and writer for Celtic Journal http://celticjournal.org/

What do you believe sectarianism is?

Sectarianism is, essentially, hating or discriminating against someone due to their religious beliefs.

However, in Glasgow, it can be more to do with discriminating against someone due to what team they support.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

I have, although not in the most likely of locations.

When on a holiday in Lanzarote with both Celtic and Rangers fans, Celtic were playing Benfica in the Champions League so we decided to head to an Irish Bar to watch the game.

The following night, Rangers were playing Queen of the South in a Cup match. As my Rangers supporting family member came into the Celtic/Irish bar with us, we decided to go to a Rangers bar to watch his team play. On entering the bar, the Barman of the Bluebells refused to serve any of us because my little cousin, two years of age at the time, was wearing a Celtic top. The owners of the bar told the Rangers fan he could stay but he (not so) politely told them where to shove it.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

It is an issue but not so much now as it was back in the sixties when some of my family members were refused jobs due to what school they went to and because of their Irish-sounding surnames.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

Neil Lennon was portrayed shamefully by most media outlets not only when he was manager but also as a player. They tried - and succeeded - to stir up more hatred towards Neil during his most difficult periods, no more so by the use of snarling images which made him look to be an angry, confrontational individual.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

No. The Neil Lennon portrayed by the Scottish media and Neil Lennon the person are completely different people - even the current Rangers manager will tell you that.

50

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

I 'tweeted' constantly about the attacks and actually helped bring some of those writing online about wanting Neil Lennon dead to justice. It was unbelievable how many people on social media jumped on the bandwagon of hating Neil Lennon back in 2011 especially.

I also write for a small website but didn't cover the attacks during the period of sustained death threats and bombs sent to him by post, only due to the fact that it was set up in late 2012. However we did write articles condemning the later attacks from certain fans of other clubs.

If so from what angle did the publication take?

The articles were written for a Celtic fans' website, so we did back Neil Lennon whilst shaming those verbally abusing him and also those throwing coins at him during a semi-final he attended between Aberdeen and Inverness.

Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

Although it isn't a written story, Derek Johnstone's running commentary of Neil Lennon's physical attack at Tynecastle stands out above all else.

Johnstone, live on radio, instead of condemning the mindless attack from John Wilson, screamed about Neil Lennon "kicking out" at a supporter and claimed he would be in trouble due to his behavior. For anyone not watching the game on TV and instead listening to Derek, you couldn't have blamed them for taking a dislike to Neil Lennon who, as Johnstone made it sound, kicked the innocent Hearts supporter.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

No. The attacks, threats and bombs sent to him were covered widely but most media outlets seemed to almost justify the attacks by claiming Neil "brought it on himself" because of his temper on the touch line.

They also seemed to make the attacks sound reasonable because he was an Irish Catholic, that he should expect such hatred towards him.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

Not greatly, to say the least. I remember when John Hartson and Stephen Pearson, who were signing the Fields of Athenry at a Celtic Supporters Club event, were vilified by The Sun. Their headline read "Celtic players IRA blast". Other high profile examples include when one newspaper took it upon themselves to compare Fergus McCann to Saddam Hussein, and when apology was made to Bobby Petta, Johan Mjallby and Joos Valgaeren after s newspaper printed lies about them after a night out in Newcastle.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

I wouldn't say it's justified but the media coverage will never change so long as Celtic are the biggest team in the country. Any story to do with Celtic sells newspapers, not least derogatory articles about supporters or players.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

Yes. I am a Celtic supporter.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

Most definitely. The stigma attached to supporting Celtic is that you must also be a terrorist lover who adores everything Irish and hates the English.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

51 Â Â

In some ways, yes. The media often brand songs about Irish history as "pro-IRA". For example, 'Boys of the Old Brigade' is a song commemorating the 1916 Easter Rising, whom the Queen has also acknowledged, yet newspapers and radio stations brand the song as being 'sectarian'.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

I wouldn't say so. It is true that a fair amount of Celtic fans support the IRA and Ireland's past struggle for freedom but it must be noted - and it rarely is - that no song condones the murders of innocent people and no song commemorates terrorists, contrary to popular belief.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

I believe that racism is still a problem in some countries such as Russia and Italy.

There are some football fans, not just in the two aforementioned countries, who hate on opposition players due to the colour of their skin - and that should never be tolerated. Just recently in Italy an AC Milan friendly game had to be cancelled after fans of the opposing team threw a sword and bananas onto the pitch, aimed at a black footballer.

The media are correct to condemn any act of racism, although they shouldn't pick and choose which incidents to cover and instead cover all forms of racist abuse like when potatoes were thrown onto the pitch at Tynecastle, aimed at Celtic's Irish players.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

The 'riot' at Dens Park comes to mind. After Celtic played Dundee on Boxing Day of 2012 there were reports of Celtic fans urinating in the stands, setting off fireworks that "could have killed someone", fighting in the stands, stabbings outside the ground, wrecking the stadium and upsetting local residents. All, of course, without any spec of proof.

That didn't stop the media from interviewing everyone and anyone, even an ex-Celtic player condemned the behaviourâ&#x20AC;Śyet he admitted to not being in attendance and not watching the game on TV! Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

The media do tend to sensationalise stories, especially involving top football clubs and players. I don't think that will change.

Although it is part and parcel of media coverage, there is a line that shouldn't be crossed and I do feel that some journalists cross the line far too often. Footballers are public figures but certain aspects of their private lives should be kept private.

Also, with regard to Neil Lennon, their sensationalist coverage stirred up more hatred towards a man who needed 24/7 protection around his home. Of course they cannot be blamed directly for verbal and physical abuse directed at Neil, however I strongly believe some of it wouldn't have happened if the media portrayed his true demeanour rather than making him out to be a hate figure.

6. Participant: Daniel White Freelance journalist (Newcastle) What do you believe sectarianism is?

Sectarianism is often and most prevalent via offensive language and in a negative manner, often relating to religion or based on a racial stereotype. Attitudes are often ingrained due to it being accepted and is most often used in football where it is seen to be acceptable. Abuse can come via 52 Â Â

social media or verbal words but it is also institutionalised and when challenged is defended because it has been used for years.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

I have – playing football I have been called a “fenian bastard” a “paddy tw*t, abuse linked to blowing other people up and told to “fuck off back home to the IRA”. I don’t have an Irish accent – a slight one on some words, but it is usually because when I play 5-a-side I wear a Celtic top or if I’m out running. They are the only times I’ll wear my Celtic top.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

I don’t think it’s as prevalent as it has been in the past, but it still remains with some people. Areas of Scotland still suffer from it, partly due to the rivalry between Glasgow Rangers and Glasgow Celtic and the pride in which their fans hold the club. That in itself can bring prejudices and bring out the worst in people. Right wing members of the community will always find an excuse to be anti-irish and prejudiced, despite many of them probably having some Irish heritage in their ancestors.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

I often think Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media as the “bad guy”. He probably didn’t help himself when he first became Manager of Celtic – passionate, squaring up to others and he did become more measured later on in his tenure. That being said, he should not have received some of the abuse he did and the Scottish media should have been much more balanced and outraged at how frequently he was being assaulted, chanted at in a derogatory manner, hit by fans and spat at by spectators when he was watching a game in the stand. It was a disgrace and one which was barely touched upon.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

I do not – if it was an English manager managing an English club in the Premier League there would be an absolute outrage if they received what Neil Lennon received. Because it was in Glasgow and Scotland and he managed Celtic it was seen as bordering acceptable and the norm.

Why?

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

My publications have not covered the attacks, purely because it is not an area in which we cover.

If so from what angle did the publication take?

N/A

Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

53

Some of the time it was seen as acceptable – as if it was part of society.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

I often felt they were dumbed down in the Scottish media. In fact, some of the best things I’ve seen written about Neil Lennon and his time at Celtic about the abuse he received has been in the English media. I can’t remember anything in the Scottish media that was as outraged or hit the nail on the head.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

The English media often speak positively of Celtic, I feel. Apart from when I saw the Telegraph have to correct themselves last month when they said the club was founded by Irish republican sympathisers!! I think this is mainly because of the club’s success and those in the media knowing some of the great players who have played for Celtic.

However, they often belittle the Scottish standards, but if you look at the performances in Europe aside from Celtic then that is justified with other clubs struggling. It is no surprise though given the financial restrictions in the Scottish league.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

I am a football fan and I support Celtic because of my time growing up in Donegal and going back every year. I also support Newcastle because that is the city I was born and where I lived before heading to Donegal and the Lake District in England.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

Celtic? Yes. Irish supporters, Catholics, passionate, overachieving in Europe, play in a rubbish league.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

Not that I’m aware of.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

N/A Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

I believe it is a problem and understated. Look how many football fans often tweet racist abuse to people on twitter – do they not say these things in public or after a few drinks when discussing football?

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

54

When Alan Pardew “headbutted” David Meyler. Stupid and needless, but nothing more.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

More money is in football than ever before, that means more people are working on covering the sport, more people are interested in it, the internet means more people are discussing it = people get bored and sensationalise the sport.

7. Participant: Jude Collins Irish writer and broadcaster http://www.judecollins.com/

What do you believe sectarianism is?

Dislike or hatred of another person or group on religious grounds.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

Yes. Every Twelfth of July, the Orange Order (in its origin, history and ordinances an anti-Catholic organisation) parades more than 2,000 times in the north of Ireland.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

I can’t speak for England (when I was there, even in the late 1970s, it was almost a plus factor. But that was in a university and I’m a highly-likeable chap. In the north of Ireland, there is a prejudice in many unionist/Protestant areas against anything remotely Irish. Except maybe Guinness.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

When he received death threats during his time playing for Northern Ireland and quit, he was criticised for quitting. Reason? ‘Lots of people get death threats’. Old trick - blame the victim.

When he was manager of Celtic, it was portrayed as Neil vs Allie, the Old Firm, intense rivalry, gives an edge, part of the Scottish game. In other words, the physical attacks and threats against Lennon were somehow balanced by…um, the non-existent attacks and threats against McLeod.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

Are you kidding? Of course it wasn’t. The vile abuse and threats were airbrushed into near nonexistence.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

I’m fairly sure I did a blog on it. I may have done a column in the Andersonstown News as well, although I’m not sure. (AN is a West Belfast weekly newspaper).

If so from what angle did the publication take?

55

Well, my blog took the angle that his treatment was outrageous.

Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time? I was struck by how different Lennon was when interviewed on Irish TV compared to the mental image of a brawler tough-guy that somehow had been implanted in my head. Wonder where that came from? Couldn’t have been the media, surely???

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

In some cases yes, but in the vast majority of cases not fully enough. Imagine if Alex Ferguson had received death threats, been attacked in the street - all hell would have been let loose. Not with Lennon.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

Part of the Old Firm, the counterbalance to Rangers, so if Rangers never had a Catholic about the place for years, then of course Celtic must never have had a Protestant about the place…A moment’s thought or research showed that to be a bucketload of hooey, but it’s how the general populace see ‘em.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

How can I put this ….No. And no again.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

I enjoy watching soccer on TV. I supported Celtic, particularly during Martin O’Neill’s reign (they were winning). I tend to support Arsenal because they play with such skill. And Barcelona for the same reason.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

Yes, if we’re talking about Celtic. You’d need to be careful of your company before announcing you supported the Bhoys. Arsenal, Barcelona - no problem.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

Well as I’ve indicated they haven’t headlined the outrageous treatment and vilification of Lennon, so at best by their inaction they’ve allowed the flames to burn and spread.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

No. And No. Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

Oh racism exists all right. They’re still chucking bananas onto the field of play, and the chants which still resound around Windsor Park (home of Linfield and Northern Ireland) are pretty real.

Officially it’s under control; deep down I think there’s a lot of it still about.

56

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

The media live by sensationalising soccer. Check the headlines. Check the reports of games, especially in the tabloids. They are constantly OTT. I thought the Suarez biting was a good example. Outrageous, banned for months, lucky not to be banned for life. What rubbish! Biting is a bad, nasty habit, like picking your nose in public; but I’d rather have an opposing player bite me than one who broke my leg and maybe ended my playing career.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

Yes indeed. It feeds the lowest common denominator. Supporters exaggerate the wonders of their own team and the total nastiness of the opposition. The media feed this with their OTT presentation - and their ignoring of truly bad stuff, like Lennon’s treatment

8. Participant: Anonymous Scottish Premier League Banter Twitter account

What do you believe sectarianism is?

Discrimination or hatred of a particular group of people, usually based on religion or national identity.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

Yes Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

I would say yes in the west of Scotland, but by a diminishing minority, to qualify that, much less of a problem than 10/15/20 years ago.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

Difficult Q to answer in short, often portrayed as antagonistic, aggressive & complaining. I would say individuals within the tabloid/online/phone in type media could be seen to portray him unfairly at times.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

Certainly not always.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

Yes. I have both defended him and criticised him at times.

57

If so from what angle did the publication take?

One example might be the incident at Tynecastle where Aberdeen supporters were accused of spitting/throwing missiles at him. There were many who denied the incident took place and tried to blame NL for causing it by merely being there, or telling lies. This despite several trustworthy media sources confirming it did happen. My angle was to say stop denying these things happen, take responsibility for them. Ask yourself why? And challenge your fellow supporter.

Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

There are numerous. The story that particularly stands out for me is the incident where he was attacked on the pitch at Tynecstle. Although there was widespread “condemnation” for me much of it did not go far enough. I felt at the time that if it had happened in any other country in the world….to Arsene Wenger for example, there would be total outrage. I didn't get that impression in Neil Lennon’s case, some of it seemed mock outrage.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

It depends what you read or who you listen to. I’d say the majority of journalists covered it accurately and responsibly, but it would be fair to say there are some who either don’t want to get too involved or are of the “he brings it on himself” mindset.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

On the whole I think they are covered fairly today. I don't see many cases of criticism which are unwarranted and we have to remember that much of journalism is opinion. I might agree or disagree with a piece based on opinion, but I wouldn't say there are many which are unduly unfair.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

We have to remember that Celtic are not perfect and look at it objectively. I think it’s easier for me as a neutral to do. I have in the past and still do criticise Celtic where I think it’s appropriate, as I do Rangers and every other club. It’s the same with the press in general. I’m sorry to say but I do think there is a culture amongst the more ‘militant’ Celtic support to see every criticism of the club as an attack on their culture or identity when it is not. If you criticise you are immediately a labelled a “Hun” when you are genuinely just calling something as you see it. It’s the same with Rangers fans, I have been called both a Hun & a fenian bastard in the same day.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

I am and I support Motherwell Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

I don't think so. We do have fans who have leanings towards both Celtic and Rangers but there is never any problem with that. They are Motherwell fans first.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

N/A Is the stigma justified in any way?

58

N/A Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

Like sectarianism, racism in football is abhorrent and unacceptable. We should do everything we can to stamp it out completely. As with sectarianism I don't think it is as big a problem as it once was. I wouldn't say the problem is as a result of media or moral panic but more a problem with society in general, and I think it’s right that it is highlighted in the media wherever it occurs. I guess the more pertinent question is are sectarianism and racism treated the same by the media. In which case no. Many instances of sectarianism in football in Scotland are seen as par for the course and unfortunately are not reported by the media.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

On the subject of racism, the one which springs to my mind was some years ago at a Scotland v Brazil match played at Wembley when a banana was thrown on to the pitch near Neymar. It was originally reported as “racist Scottish fans” etc.. etc.. by many tabloids, particularly down south.

After it was looked into it was discovered that it was in fact thrown by a German football fan from a neutral part of the stadium and was no more than him tossing his “lunch” on to the pitch, or so he claimed. Either way the majority of the media failed to report on the truth after it had come out which i believe they had a duty to do.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

Both definitely seem to be part and parcel, personally I see them very differently though.

Misrepresentation is wrong. I think the media have a duty to be honest. Sensationalism is different, as long as the heart of the matter is genuine. We have to accept journalists have papers to sell or listeners/viewers to attract. Most of us are smart enough see sensationalism for what it is anyway.

INTERVIEWS – FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS

1. Participant: Marc McArdle Celtic Football Club supporter What do you believe sectarianism is?

In my opinion, sectarianism is the bigoted prejudice against someone because of the football team they support. Those who subscribe to that view confuse themselves, mistakenly thinking that they dislike somebody because of their religion. However, if they took a moment to look at it, they would see that their view is in many cases misguided: most people with this view tend to be nonattenders of church, and they tend to hate people who do not practice a religion either. It is based solely around football.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

59

Yes. After moving from Edinburgh to the West of Scotland in 1998, I was asked whether I was Catholic or Protestant on my first day at school here. I had never really known what differences were involved between each term, and was initially confused. However, word soon got out that there was a Catholic Celtic fan in the school, and a group of guys four years above me decided to make me a target sporadically throughout the year. It then went away through the rest of primary school and I forgot about it. But when I entered high school, the same guys were waiting for me from day one. I experienced sustained physical violence, and was bullied on a regular basis before eventually landing a very lucky punch one day, which somehow put them off continuing with it.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

I believe it is, although I would like to think that it exists to a lesser extent than previously. People still exist who have that attitude against minorities in general, and will most likely persist with this attitude for at least another couple of generations.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

I think Neil Lennon was portrayed in two ways in the media. The first was of him as an angry, aggressive and provocative figure both as a player and a manager. To an extent, this was absolutely true, however what was completely unjustified was the insinuation (and at times, completely open suggestion) that he deserved abuse and brought it upon himself. I believe that when things really escalated in this country, where Lennon was receiving viable explosive devices in the post, the media got a fright and realised how dangerous a message this was to be delivering, whereby they toned down the latter part of their ideas.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

Yes and no. Most people would agree that Lennon does have a short fuse, he does like to mix it up with other players/managers, and can at times over-step the mark. That is part of what makes him a winning personality. However, they were wrong to cite this as justification for the death threats and attempts on him and his family's life.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

Not applicable â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I did not work for a media publication during this time.

If so from what angle did the publication take?

N/A Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

As previously mentioned, I remember one or two stories at the time stating that he deserved the abuse. I also remember the infamous Daily Record piece asking whether Lennon or the taxman were more hated at Ibrox. Fair enough, it's probably a fair question given Lennon's standing with Rangers fans. But it's extremely irresponsible for a major publication to be suggesting this comparison to fans across the country.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

60 Â Â

By virtue of how some dismissed the attacks as warranted, no. By dismissing the attacks and trivialising them, the attacks were distorted.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

As a club, in the present day, I don't believe that there is any genuine bias against them. I know from experience that most journalists and editors in Scotland roll their eyes and laugh at the idea that the media is out to get Celtic – or Rangers. Many who work within the media grew up as fans of other clubs and find it insulting and arrogant that they are all branded as having some preference for one or the other. In isolation, I believe Celtic have probably been covered less than ever in recent years given the sheer scale of the ongoing Rangers saga which has filled more pages than any story concerning the “big two” in history.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

I would say so, yes. I don't believe Celtic are given unfair coverage other than in isolated incidents, which happens to every club, organisation and individual at some point within the media.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

Yes. I have been a lifelong support of Celtic.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

In some areas of the country – yes. There is an association with Catholicism which is understandable given the club's history. But for some, this is looked on with extreme disdain.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

In this day and age, I don't believe so. In previous decades, particularly up to and including the 1990's, I think the media most certainly has.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

No. Would it be justified if Celtic was traditionally supported by black people or Asian people?

Surely the same rationale should be applied.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

I believe it is a massive problem. Intolerance in football in general is a huge issue – this is also why gay footballers have such a problem with coming out during their playing career. Football as a whole is stuck in the past, and fans of every club sadly have an idiotic element which continues to fester within. These people are likely to take a dim view of someone because of their race, or indeed, sexuality.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

I believe Ally McCoist and Neil Lennon's provocation during the so-called “Old Firm shame game was sensationalised. I also firmly believe that McCoist was allowed to claim ignorance/innocence, and that Lennon did not contest it, in a bid to move on from the incident. As such, partial blame was attributed to Lennon for reacting to what can clearly be seen is provocation from McCoist.

61

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

Yes, to some extent. Like every single job on earth, there are good and bad journalists, objective and biased writers. Some call things fairly and report facts, while others dress up facts or portray opinion as fact.

2. Participant: Jamie Hall Aberdeen Football Club supporter What do you believe sectarianism is?

In my opinion sectarianism means discrimination against a person or group on account of their religious beliefs.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

Thankfully I’ve never been in the receiving end, but I’ve witnessed it first hand having grown up in the west of Scotland.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

In certain areas, particularly in the west of Scotland, yes, and unfortunately the problem seems to be on the rise again.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

For the most part, the media attempted to present him as a bit thick, perhaps trying to continue the perception we had of him during his playing days.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

Definitely not. Lennon usually handled himself well when the media put deliberately put him in a difficult position, for example Chick Young’s questioning over the alleged incident at this year’s league cup semi final.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

N/A If so from what angle did the publication take?

N/A Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

I’m probably too young to remember the details accurately but one incident where he was attacked while he was with his young daughter.

62

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

In some cases, yes.In others, not so much. In some cases, such as where Rangers fans were involved, the story would be played down by the mainly Glasgow-based press. However, where fans of other clubs were involved, such as incidents involving Hearts and Aberdeen fans, the media increased the amount of coverage to suit their agenda.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

If the media are to be believed, Celtic are the be all and end all.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

Of course there is reason to give Celtic a large amount of coverage; they have the largest support of any team in the top-flight and are one of the sport’s most recognisable clubs. However, the sheer amount of coverage has created some resentment among fans who feel their clubs are being sidelined in the press.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

Yes, Aberdeen Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

A bit. The Scottish press are on the lookout for stories relating to Aberdeen fans and have been for as long as most can remember due a number of incidents a few decades ago, with figures such as Mark Hateley branding fans “knuckle-draggers”. That really got the west coast media on the lookout for any opportunity to stick the boot in. I think the coverage of events in Groningen proved this; I was there and the media reports were at best grossly exaggerated and at worst just plain false.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

A recent Sun headline springs to mind, something like “Dons fan in Jihad war”. A man who had spent some of his life in Aberdeen was filmed fighting for ISIS in Iraq. Now, the man in question was not a football fan and had never been to Pittodrie in his life. So yes, I do think the media fuel it.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

Of course there are some instances where the stigma is justified, but in the vast majority of cases, no.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

Racism is still a problem, I suppose because of the mob mentality that seems to come with being a football fan. It’s not as bad in Britain as it was (although it is still an issue) but in places such as Italy it’s still a common occurrence. The one incident that springs to mind is Kevin-Prince Boateng walking off the pitch while playing for AC Milan because of the racial abuse he was subjected to by opposition supporters.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

There have been so many that not one particularly stands out!

63

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

In the tabloid media, yes. It’s a huge factor in them making money, nothing will grab a potential reader’s attention more than a shocking headline.

3. Participant: Scott Kennedy Motherwell F.C supporter What do you believe sectarianism is?

That’s a hard question. I think that sectarianism takes on various different definitions but in asking what I believe it is, I’d have to say it’s narrow minded beliefs by a member of one particular body/group organisation based upon beliefs or actions of another group/organisation.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

Yes, but only in a footballing sense. Being a supporter of a non Celtic/Rangers team in Scotland, I’ve had it from both sides. I should say that it’s a minority on both sides. Some seem to think if you’re not a supporter of Celtic/Rangers, that you’re automatically a supporter of the other. For example if you ask some Celtic fans, I’m a Rangers fan without the bus fare and with Rangers fans it’s very much vice versa. The level at which I’ve experienced it is low, probably more seen as banter as opposed to sectarian abuse (if it can ever be seen as banter).

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

In some instances, yes. From my perspective, it’s mainly a football thing in the West of Scotland, simply because this is the only real experience that I have of it. I think that in recent times, Charities, educational institutions etc have been doing a good job in trying to stamp out sectarianism (from the perspective that I look upon it).

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

In some instances I think the media made it seem that Lennon brought things on himself, but to be honest, although I read the stories and was aware of the situation, I never really took too much notice of the situation, because my only real interest in Lennon was what he was doing as a football manager.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

Certainly not. I don’t think you can ever really say that anyone deserves treatment like that. I think at times Lennon’s use of social media was inappropriate, in that some of the things he said probably put him into the limelight at times when he could have been doing without being in the news because of social media. From personal experience, Lennon is a welcoming and helpful man.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

If so from what angle did the publication take?

64

Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

I can remember the nailbomb stories obviously, but also the story of him being attacked in Glasgow in a seemingly unprovoked attack stick out in the mind. I’m quite sure that it was after a big game, with suggestions that he provoked the attack purely by going out after such a high profile game.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

From my point of view, specifically the attack at Tynecastle was not. This idea of it’s not assault because the accused person didn’t actually make contact did not sit well with me.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

In all honesty, I couldn’t tell you. Other than match reports and highlights I don’t often take much to do with Celtic as a club or how they are portrayed. I think internationally Celtic are portrayed as a big club with good fans and rich history.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

Again, being a supporter of a non Celtic/Rangers team, it always seems that the papers will look to write stories about these two first; no matter what the story. The sad thing is that in Scotland a story about Celtic won’t only sell papers to Celtic fans, there’s a whole other darker side to the media coverage and ultimately selling papers or increasing ratings is the main goal.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

Yes. Motherwell.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

Traditionally, Motherwellare seen to favour Rangers for some reason, possibly due to the fact that we have had a few Gers players as our managers?

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

Yes – Constantly reminding us that although we have beaten Celtic several times in recent years, we haven’t beaten rangers since 2002.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

No. I don’t think there’s any reason for it. I can remember a few draws with Rangers over the years, just seems that we have taken more points from Celtic in victories (can’t be sure of the exact figures). For some reason it’s hard to believe, but for purely footballing reasons I dislike Rangers as much as I dislike Celtic.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

I think that worldwide, it is a problem. In Scotland? Not so much. We see players in Spain, Italy etc (Balotelli for example) crying or refusing to play due to monkey chants or bananas being thrown at them. I don’t think it’s such a problem in Scotland, any time I’ve been at football and heard anything like that it’s been quickly self policed by other fans. At the time, the whole Suarez/Evra incident puts another perspective on it; to Evra, the words used were racist, to Suarez, it was an affectionate name which is widely used in the culture which he is accustomed to (allegedly); a difficult line to draw.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

Neymar at The Emirates. Having followed Scotland for 10 years, to see Scotland fans accused of racial abuse was disappointing. The day after the game the headlines were all Tartan Army in race row etc, but this wasn’t the tartan army, it was a German tourist.

65

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

I think it’s part and parcel of the game. I think though that the media look for the controversial issues to use to make their headlines. I’ve seen it a couple of times when players have been accused of assault for example – yet when the case reaches court, it comes out that the player had been attacked or was defending himself/his family etc. These facts don’t come out at the start, in my opinion because it’s not a scandal. “Footballer in assault scandal” catches the eye more than “Footballer assaulted”.

4. Participant: Robert Ryan Rangers Football Club supporter What do you believe sectarianism is?

I believe it’d be to judge someone negatively on a perceived religion before getting know them or even when knowing them.

Not only judge but abuse, obviously.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

No but I’ve heard a local hotel owner say ‘Oh St something (‘re the CV), not hiring him’ though that may have been easily a joke&just bragging but the sentiment is there I dare say.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

I don’t see that locally certainly. And even nationally. We are in an era when the likes Graham Norton, Terry Wogan, Eamonn Holmes, Dara O'Briain, Gloria Hunniford are popular. I think people can look for an issue that isn’t there.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

Not good, often unfair I felt.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

To be honest, running on to the pitch didn’t help to confront in a Cup Semi or having a square go at Ally McCoist either. These things avoidable, particularly the latter. Ally said something but the head to head uncalled for, but then why couldn’t the press have prominently have promoted the beer those two men had later on after the final whistle.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

N/A If so from what angle did the publication take?

N/A Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

Not particularly but then my memory not the greatest!

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

Yes but I’m not sure if accurate enough.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

66

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

Probably justified in the respect that Celtic are a big club.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

Yes, Rangers.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

There can be, people attach sectarianism to the club like a spiders net but much as moved on. For example, Jon Daly signed & the press got all excited he was an Irish catholic but for the most part, the fans weren’t really bothered. I seen some idiot posts on a forum but it wasn’t an extreme one at all & the reaction from the press much ado about nothing.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

Answer slightly answered in the last question, I think yes.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

Sometimes but it doesn’t help anyone to have that stigma/perception.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

Both.Its not as much of an issue here in Scotland, we have cult black heroes here from Jose Quitongo to Marvin Andrews to big Armand One in the lower leagues. Its still there but its there in society too.

But the media will jump on any small thing.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

Actually the McCoist/Lennon square go in the ‘shame-game’ & indeed that game overall, a few sending offs, big bloody deal and far from an extreme fan! There were more arrests the next Wednesday in Glasgow!

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

To some extent but I don’t think it helps. A bit like banning football colours in Gyms, creates a rod for society’s own back. I recall the tax man headline on the day of an old firm game, I think both clubs may have complained!

If I can add additionally though about what Rangers fans say about Neil Lennon. People said he was aggressive, I had family friends (both Celtic& Rangers) say he was unshaven & neddy. Maybe he was but overall I didn’t ‘get’ the disdain, much of the disdain also because he was a catholic & northern Irish too, not something that bothered me. Neil Lennon was just the Celtic Manager and got on with many it seemed to me, there was no need for the hatred. I once defended him slightly online but as I have no time for the orange order but Rangers fans wouldn’t accept that, I said I wasn’t offended by the ‘orange bastard’ jibe by him at an old firm game or spitting at the scarf, folk 67

do things in the heat of the moment, I’m one for vast bitterness. I don’t judge my Rangers fan’ level for my disdain of all things Celtic.

5. Participant: Daniel Robertson Hibernian Football Club supporter What do you believe sectarianism is?

For me Sectarianism is a clash of differences between two or more party’s which share a different view.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

Growing up as a catholic and Hibernian fan I have on more occasions than I can remember received abuse of what I consider to be sectarian abuse.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

We in the UK claim we are a multi cultured society however in more areas than one this is not the case. So I say yes there is still an issue. Ireland is often viewed as terrorist more so for its association with the IRA. How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

He was often used to simply sell papers the media as whole needs to be regulated for me they wanted him to fail they hated a successful NL. Neil Lennon told the truth he told it as he saw it he spoke the truth as did Kenny Shiels who was also slammed. Both KS and NL were plastered across newspapers and made to look like bitter so and so’s.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

No because honesty is the best policy Neil Lennon and Shiels had every right to complain even if they weren’t always right. They say that freedom of speech is part of UK culture but I’m not so sure I think that depends on who’s doing the talking.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

No If so from what angle did the publication take?

N/A Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

As so much happens in football it’s hard to remember all the vile that was aimed at Neil Lennon there’s a few things that stick out. I can’t ignore the Aberdeen fans throwing coins and pies at Lennon it was simply put to bed and no action was taking yet speaking out loud become a matter of censorship and discipline. Forgive me I can’t remember who did the reporting.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

I think by the time the letter bombs were being sent the press soon plastered it all over the papers maybe they finally realised just how far things had went too far. So I would say it was covered fairly relating to the parcel bombs. They didn’t come out and comment enough about him being attached by Aberdeen fans though that all went to bed strangely.

68

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

I think the media are bias towards Celtic and Rangers but again that’s only because of the fan base theres a huge catchment with the Old Firm. They want to see Scottish Clubs doing well in Europe but that doesn’t stop the twisting the knifes in the back after a knock out but that goes for any team.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

This is an akward question it depends on a few factors. The media have one main goal sell papers and screw the truth they are never justified really. There are few good journalists out their.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

Yes Hibernian Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

Supporting a football team is almost tribal. I think every support has its own personality’s which sounds strange because the people behind the scarves are all different. So yes to that. Being a Hibee is huge part of who I am anyway. But its also important to remember that the club doesn’t keep you warm at night its easy too carried away but that’s just football.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

No the media has nothing to do with it.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

Yes Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

As a Hibernian fan I can’t say ive noticed much racism at a football game ive attended. Hibernian has had several different players all from different Backgrounds. Zemamma, Latapy and now El Alagui. The players in the Green shirt is one of us.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

They over exaggerated our relegation they took pops for weeks and enjoyed watching us fall apart it made for a really good story one of Scotland’s biggest clubs had started to fall rapidly. And when we finally landed in the Championship they couldn’t get enough of it.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

The media is what it is and will always be the same.

6. Participant: Sue Shepherd Aberdeen Football Club supporter What do you believe sectarianism is?

It is a word that conjures up different emotions for different people. My immediate response would be that it is a religious bigotry more prevalent in the central belt of Scotland particularly associated with Protestant and Roman Catholic divisions and the bigotry or intolerance that develops into abusive behavior in whatever way that manifests itself.

69

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

I have never experienced Religious sectarianism myself because i am not attached or do not identify myself by any religion. Most people would agree that when sectarianism is mostly associated with football and in particular with two clubs The Rangers and Celtic. Its a stigma, a label that has stuck unfortunately. Many have preconceptions.

I have suffered sectarianism (abuse for being different?part of a small group) by individuals. To be ridiculed and abused because one is part of a 'sect' is sectarianism too right?!

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

Sectarianism and Anti Irish sentiment is still very prevalent today. I am an Aberdeen supporter and i see this from a neutral perspective because we are not exposed to these issues in the North East. It is an issue within certain areas in Scotland but in my view bigotry stems from the uneducated.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

I have completely disconnected from most media coverage due to the spin and misrepresentation. I pay no attention to news stories in Newspapers, Television, and social media. I mainly utilise social media but never read them to be honest. So, i honestly couldn't tell you how Neil Lennon is portrayed in the Media as i make up my own mind and don't like lies nor the MSM. I only tend to peruse my own local Newspaper about my own team and club.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

See Above-Can't comment Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

N/A If so from what angle did the publication take?

N/A Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

The only attacks that were high profile that i noticed were the bullets in the post, the attack by a Hearts fan.Some of the abuse or attacks were mythical. Conjured up and exaggerated by a complicit media eager for news sales using Neil Lennon as fodder and castigating others in the process.

Nothing is reported accurately because mostly everyone has their own agendas. Journos will whip stories up in the press just before important games. A lot of cynicism here but even Neil Lennon and his peers have manipulated the press as well. Its the nature of the game unfortunately. I like Neil Lennon by the way but i can understand why many dislike him as a figure because of his mannerisms and behaviour in the dugout. Greeting faced moaning dick some have said ha ha,BUT, thats only personality within the football sphere. It has nothing to do with him being disliked because of his ethnicity or religion.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

I really don't know? I think the Media do nothing but pander to two clubs in Scotland. At the end of the day, its all they care about. Its wrong.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

I am a football fan and support Aberdeen.

70 Â Â

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

Is there a certain Stigma to supporting my Team Aberdeen. Yes, we are known as sheep shagging bastards haaa! Accused of bestiality, my god, i am going to sue! Seriously, the percentage of sheep per square foot is higher down the central belt and borders than the North East. The suggestion that we are all farmers is ridiculous, Aberdeen being one of the top cosmopolitan cities in Scotland. It is a label though and one we thrive on. Aberdeen Fans Don't give a toss about what anyone thinks but when it comes to the Glasgow Press, then you will see a different side to us. The MSM is hated in the North East, especially by football fans. The MSM hate Aberdeen as well and portray us negatively and have done for years.This can be linked to our success of the 1980s when we dislodged the 'Old Firm' from the throne.

We have had a witch hunt going on for years with the Daily Ranger, i mean Record. Despise the rag and all it stands for although, they are attempting to improve by employing journos representative of other clubs because they see they have become insular. At the end of the day, they only want readership and money so they HAVE to attract an audience by peddling utter shite that will appeal to fans of two clubs. I still believe that there still exist's an umblical cord from the Glasgow press straight to Ibrox and that feeds the parasites with the brogues in the Football Governing Bodies.

Celtic are the second class Citizens as are the Aberdeens of this world.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

See above. The Media have spun, lied and twisted so much i ignore everything they write. The advent of social media allows me to interact with like minded fans across all supports to gain a more accurate perspective on affairs. Media are so behind its not true. Bloggers have taken over and at least we can read proper investigative journalism instead of lazy 'Journalists' trotting out platitudes with no real work or thought. I interact with REAL people who make up their own minds about football affairs now. I feel that Media outlets feel threatened by the knowledge and intellect of many who debate and give their views so much so they call us 'Bampots'.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

The stigma is not justified. The witchunt to this day is still trotted out in the press from time to time.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

Racism in Football. Of course it is a problem but its not one i have experienced myself. I see it more on the continent. I have no conception of it, i can;t understand why anyone would be racist.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

Yes. Ian Durrant being injured by a tackle by an Aberdeen player. 30 years ago and the witch hunt continues. A mans life in ruins because of the hate campaign and a player who recovered from the injury to play months afterwards. Injuries and incidents happen like this in football frequently.

Shocking that the MSM bring this up to taint one man and a club.

2nd instance was at a SF against St Johnstone where Neil Lennon was in attendance. It turns out that police found no evidence of any abuse towards Mr Lennon. No evidence of spitting, no evidence of throwing coins at Neil. Lies. What a minority of fans were probably guilty of, and i got this from our club and they were beside Neil, is drunkeness and stupid shouting. NOTHING to do with sectarian chants as Aberdeen fans are just not interested or familiar with gargage such as this. I know that many people were arriving back from half time with drinks and food when we scored and cups went flying everywhere because it was jam packed.

Neil Lennon's agent made comments, none of which were accurate or proved to be correct which makes me think another negative story about peoples intolerance was intentional to engineer a move out of the club blaming the gold fish bowl of Scottish football. If anything, the perceived hatred of 71 Â Â

some towards Neil Lennon has absolutely nothing to do with any Religious or anti-Irish sentiment.

That is offensive to anyone up here because its not something we are familiar about or have the least bit of interest in. He is disliked by many, in my view, because he behaves like a dick. Not my view, but to many people he's a greeting faced spoiled bairn.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

Of course. Its only to boost readership and viewing and keep people in jobs. Very open to ridicule now as Social media is THE dominating medium. No longer do we believe the partylines anymore.

We have a new revolution, a new enlightenment and we are free to make up our own minds. Power to the hand Â

7. Participant: Callum Kane Hibernian Football Club supporter What do you believe sectarianism is?

I believe sectarianism is someone discriminating against someone's religion or holding bigoted views towards other groups with different ideals or beliefs from their own.

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

I have encountered sectarianism in a number of wide ranging areas, from the pub to the workplace and while attending sport events.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

Sectarianism and anti irish prejudice are huge issues in Scotland in 2014.

How do you feel former Celtic manger Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

I think Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media as an angry, nasty man who courted controversy.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

No, Neil Lennon is a winner who always gave his best for his team both as a player and manager.

This led to many confrontations including one with Scott Brown who was playing for Hibs. Brown was later Celtic captain under Lennon. This shows that it was just a heat of the moment event that Lennon held no grudge and wasn't a particularly nasty man who courted these situations.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

N/A If so from what angle did the publication take?

N/A Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

I remember all the attacks on Neil Lennon were portrayed as sectarian attacks. Most attacks in my opinion involved anti Irish racism this was never never mentioned in the Scottish mainstream media.

Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

I touched on this in previous answers. I believe the facts were printed accurately regarding the actual attacks. These were always portrayed as sectarian attacks which was possibly the case although I believe most of these attacks were down to anti Irish racism just as much as 72 Â Â

sectarianism. This also fitted into the portrayal of him as being an angry man who courted it leading to a 'He brought it on himself' type attitude.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

I think Celtic are portrayed as one of two clubs who are more important than all the rest of the clubs in Scotland.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

No I believe all clubs should be afforded as much media coverage as the so called 'Old Firm' clubs.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

Yes, I am a Hibernian season ticket holder.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

I would say Hibernian in recent years have been stigmatised as paying low wages and penny pinching.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

Yes very much so.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

I think this is a fair enough assessment.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

Racism in football is a huge problem. Both James McCarthy (Everton player former Hamilton) and Aiden McGeady (Everton former Celtic player) Were both subjected to anti Irish racism at nearly every ground in Scotland. This was purely because they chose to represent Ireland.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

As we discussed Neil Lennon earlier I will use him as example. When Celtic and Rangers played a few years ago Lennon had a small argument with his rangers counterpart Ally McCoist. They went head to head and had words. You will see these types of incidents many times over the course of a season both on the pitch and between opposite dugouts. This incident led to the game being labeled a 'shame game' with everyone from newspapers to the first minister commenting on what was a minor incident in my opinion. It was completely blown out of all proportion.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

Yes. Particularly in England it's a problem as it puts huge pressure on players as we have seen at the recent World Cup in Brazil.

8. Participant: P. MacPhail Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club supporter.

What do you believe sectarianism is?

The mistreatment, abuse or discrimination against another person due to the sect of religion they follow or are perceived to follow. Globally this is best (or worst) demonstrated between Sunni/Shia sects of Islam and in Scotland between Catholics and Protestants.

73 Â Â

Have you ever encountered sectarianism yourself?

I have been referred to as a Hun and a Dirty Orange B**tard on occasion. Despite my religious beliefs not being known to the person using these slurs, in my opinion, being an Inverness fan and having predominantly Blue and Red colours we are perceived to be of a Unionist persuasion by certain sections of the Scottish Game despite the club being politically neutral.

Is sectarianism or anti Irish prejudiced still an issue today?

It is still a factor in Modern Day Scotland however speaking only from my personal experience you are more likely to experience anti Protestant sentiment than anti Catholic. The marching band culture which has spread across the water with both sides celebrating ancient battles of absolutely no relevance to Scotland certainly does not help.

How do you feel former Celtic manager Neil Lennon was portrayed in the media?

Neil Lennon was often described as a pit-bull or a thug on the pitch and certainly had his moments where his temper got the better of him. This was reflected in his management career and a few moments stick in my mind of him losing his temper, losing to Inverness away from home to hand the league title to Rangers and kicking water bottles into the stand being one example. However Terry Butcher who was Inverness manager at the time punched a hole in a dug out away to Dundee and this received nowhere near the same level of attention. I believe this is more due to the Media in Scotland’s obsession with the ‘Old Firm’ (for the purposes of this I will treat SEVCO/Newco Rangers as if they were the club previously operating at Ibrox under the same name) rather than a vilification of Neil Lennon. I would say that certain sections of the Media have seemed to excuse attacks due to (2 occasions at Tynecastle for example) on Neil Lennon’s perceived antagonistic personality when they were not doing so they were suggesting a sectarian motivation. I personally feel it was more likely caused by NL’s ability to rile opposition fans, which is in some ways to be expected when your Team can outspend and outplay every other team in the League Combined.

There will of course be a Sectarian element on some occasions but I do not think this was a defining factor in all incidents.

Do you believe this was a fair representation?

I feel NL is a fiery character, he did antagonise other supports with his touchline antics and was a player who you either loved or hated, I do however think he was a success as manager of Celtic and unfortunately was over exposed by the MSM due to the Demise of Rangers and being the only OF Manager left to talk about.

Did you or your publication cover any of the attacks?

N/A If so from what angle did the publication take?

N/A Can you remember any other publications stories? Did anything stand out particularly in your mind at the time?

N/A Do you believe the attacks on Neil Lennon were covered accurately?

Yes from what I can recall they were however I think too much weight was given to the suggestion the NL was in some way to blame for the attacks he suffered. No matter how antagonising a person is they do not deserve to be attacked while at their place of work.

How do you feel the media portrays Celtic as a club?

74

I feel Celtic as the largest club in Scotland are understandably given precedence in the media however I do feel this is to the detriment of other clubs and unfortunately this only compounds the draw of new support away from provincial clubs and to the generally unpleasant atmosphere the two OF clubs generate with each other. The media in Scotland also seem afraid to tackle the elements of the Celtic Support who bring the club into disrepute by putting their political grandstanding ahead of supporting the team.

Is the media coverage justified in anyway?

As the largest Club Celtic will understandably generate the most column inches. Perhaps if the MSM invested more time in reporting on provincial teams they would encourage more fans to support their local teams thereby improving Scottish football no end, allowing other teams to improve which ultimately would aid Celtic when they themselves become the underdogs in the Champions League.

Are you a football fan yourself? If so who do you support?

Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Is their certain stigma attached to supporting that team?

As previously noted due to our teams colours Celtic, Hibernian and Dundee Utd supporters seem to label under the impression that we are all Rangers Fans who can’t afford a bus ticket and the term Highlands Huns is thrown at us on regular occasions.

Has the media helped to fuel this stigma?

The MSM in Scotland seems to feel aggrieved that a Highland Team is performing so well at the cost of Teams from ‘Footballs heartland’ in the SW of Scotland. Despite finishing 5th, 4th, 5th in the last 3 seasons we are still seen as no better than a pub team and are constantly referred to as punching above our weight or tipped for relegation.

Is the stigma justified in any way?

We are certainly not the best supported team in the league but we have zero debt, turn a profit every season, produce good players who have gone on to play at the highest level in England, play attractive attacking football and are currently the only team in the Scottish topflight with a squad comprising only British and Irish players. That we somehow do not deserve to sit at Scottish Footballs top table at the cost of a supposedly more illustrious side is frankly ridiculous.

Do you believe that racism in football is a problem or a result of media moral panic? Please explain your answer and give examples?

I have not witnessed a Racist incident at football in many years, the last time I did was perhaps 8-10 years ago and the perpetrator was hounded out by his own support.

Is there any particular incident in football/sport that you felt the media completely sensationalized or over exaggerated?

The ‘awakening of the sleeping giant that is Aberdeen’ a team in mountains of debt over spending on players and having an average season with a league cup win on penalties was professed by all and sundry to be the greatest thing to happen to Scottish Football since they stopped wearing short shorts. It wasn’t.

Do you feel that misrepresentation and sensationalism in football is part and parcel of its media coverage?

Unfortunately yes, in the days of 24/7 Sky sports news and 6 sports pages a day in the tabloids to fill this will continue to be a feature of Sports Coverage in this country. The days of investigative journalism seem for the most part dead and buried in this country.

75

76