....'this righteous flock turned into a baying mob and in that moment we saw their duplicity in all its ugliness. For these people, the ***** ****** wasn't an affront, it was an opportunity, a chance to hound a man they have had a grudge against for years and an association they've harboured bitterness about for generations'.
No, this wasn't the Chris Graham tweet, and the association is not Rangers. This was Tom English referring to the hounding of Hugh Dallas after an email poking fun at the Pope, but the similarities are striking. How ironic then that Mr English himself is guilty of duplicity in his ludicrous assertion there is no witch hunt against newly appointed Director and fans rep Mr Graham.
It's fair to say Chris Graham has made more than a few enemies over the years, even some within the Rangers family I am sad to say. I am not here to address the rights and wrongs of the 'blue on blue' side of things however, Mr Graham at times has not done himself any favours, but that is for another day. There is a bigger picture here and it is this – this was the first test of the new Rangers board.
What is without question is Chris Graham has raised his head above the parapet time and again in defence of Rangers and railed against the concerted attacks on our club and fans from various elements in the media, from the swathe of opposing bigoted fans and even the footballing authorities themselves. Well now it is payback time.
The minute he is employed by Rangers, BBC Scotland digs out a tweet posted over two months ago! It wasn't an issue for them then in fact it probably wasn't an issue for most people given the capital punishment meted out to cartoonists in Paris for what some may have seen as offensive satire. Chris Graham may have used an offensive and unsavoury picture himself to make a point, which I am not defending, but it is abundantly clear there are people-opposition fans on social media as well as journalists jumping on this whose faux outrage was nowhere to be seen at the time.
Make no mistake. This is not about a cartoon, rather a story cynically exploited by those who seek to harm the club. IT IS ALSO A VINDICTIVE WITCH HUNT AGAINST AN EMPLOYEE OF RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB. A witch hunt kick started by terrorist supporting Celtic fans online, and pushed on by their friends in the media to such an extent the Hillsborough enquiry is second fiddle to Mr Graham's picture on the Herald's front page for goodness' sake!
On the night that the story broke, we even had James Cook studio hopping from BBC Sportsound to Reporting Scotland to give us the story. And there's the rub. This is the same BBC Scotland who on the Monday night following an old firm game blanked completely the shocking story of the young Rangers fan being struck in the face by a bottle in a sickening sectarian attack. Belatedly, they were shamed into mentioning it two days later following a press conference at a Police Station. Better late than never, eh!? It's assuring to know now however, that their 'archaeology' department is in full vigour ....as it always is with Rangers.
If nothing else BBC Scotland are consistent at being inconsistent. Jim Spence sunk the boot into Rangers without taking account of any mitigating circumstances whatsoever (of which there were many), yet this same journalist thought it was a 'wonderful day for Scottish football' when Aberdeen reneged on millions worth of debt. You really couldn't make it up. We could go on, and for some time, but it is exactly this kind of duplicity that the Rangers family are sick and tired of.
It might be a new regime at Ibrox, but we have been well warned, there is no new regime at Pacific Quay. They still have employees such as Stuart Cosgrove who in the past has made fun of Ian Durrant's sickening injury and who also referred to Rangers fans as Huns and Orange Wankers.
It appears offensive cartoons are out, but sectarian slurs on Rangers fans is deemed acceptable.
As a result of this story being promulgated for all it's worth, the club, its employees and not least its fans may well be on the radar of Islamic extremists (God forbid this wasn't a consideration by those pushing the story...) Security advisors have to be consulted. The club should have distanced itself from the ill-advised remark an individual made when he wasn't an employee of the club. It should also re-affirm its position that the club is welcoming to people of all faiths and none.
Attack is the best form of defence. By all means have a word in his shell like behind closed doors, but in the context of this story, if at all possible, Rangers Football Club should not only have kept their employee on their books, they should reinstate their interview ban on BBC Scotland. IN FACT, THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE SO REGARDLESS.
If people are going to lay down markers, then the club should lay down a few of its own.
We are all Rangers Football Club.