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30 September 1999 Edition

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Sportsview: Just another victim of sectarianism

By Dan O'Neill

It was the famous Liverpool football manager, Bill Shankly, who once said that football ``was not just a matter of life or death, it is more important than that ``.

Reflecting on a city mad about football, Shankley's observation is easily understood.

But in the equally passionate footballing city of Glasgow, I once heard a slight variation of this quote, that the ``football strip you wear could be a matter of life or death''. The family of young Thomas McFadden, brutally murdered simply for wearing the strip of Celtic, will understand what was meant by this.

The 16-year-old was fatally injured in a savage attack by a crowd of Rangers supporters a few hundred yards from his home after May's Scottish Cup final.

Ironically, the teenager watched the final at home as his mother had not allowed him to attend the match because of her fear of violence after the game.

Last week, Paul Hutton (21) was sentenced to life imprisonment for the killing. Another man, Peter Rushford (20), was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for assaulting McFadden.

Hutton had stabbed the teenager with a knife four times, twice in the heart, after his accomplice, Peter Rushford, led the chase and punched Thomas after catching up with him at Bankhall Street in Glasgow.

The jury heard how the fatally-wounded teenager continued to sing the Parkhead anthem, The Fields of Athenry, unaware he had been stabbed as blood seeped from his Celtic jersey. He died later at hospital.

When police arrived at the flat where Hutton and Rushford were staying, the two were found chatting, drinking cans of lager and in ``jovial mood''.

The reality is that the murder of Thomas McFadden is not an isolated occurrence. Sectarian attacks on Celtic fans after Old Firm games are commonplace. On the very same evening as McFadden's murder, another fan was seriously injured after being shot with a crossbow in the chest returning home from the game.

Karl McGroarty (20) was bought a ticket to the game as a birthday present and it was the first Old Firm match he had attended. He was given a Celtic top at the ground, which he was wearing at the time of his attack.

Glasgow people will also tell you of the murder of Mark Wright, another 16 -year-old Celtic fan, or the attempted murder of 19-year-old Sean O'Connor, who had his throat cut, these being only some examples of hundreds of sectarian attacks.

We are well aware of sectarian attacks in the Six Counties but rarely hear of those in Glasgow and the West of Scotland. The trial of McFadden's killers barely reached the newspapers.

But the truth is there is no difference between the sectarian bigots who attacked young Thomas McFadden and the loyalist thugs of the Six Counties.

Some of these brutal attacks on Celtic fans have been carried out by loyalists who have travelled over to the games from the Six Counties. It is also believed that many of the sectarian attacks have been organised by loyalist sympathisers in areas of Glasgow.

The fact that the judge in this case felt it necessary to direct the jury to to put aside their own religious affiliations when arriving at their verdict sadly reveals how large the ugly shadow of sectarianism still looms in Scotland.

Indeed, it is not only found in the poor working class areas of Glasgow as you might expect but is prevalent in all shades of life, as was proved by the case of Donald Findlay, QC.

As young Thomas McFadden's blood was mopped up from Bankhall Street on that fateful night, the then vice-chairperson of Rangers and prominent lawyer was caught on video singing about being up to his knees in Fenian blood with his renditions of the Sash and the Billy Boys at a celebration party for the Rangers team at the Edminston Club. Incidentally, most of the players were present and joined in enthusiastically to Findlay's foul-mouthed antics.

Findlay also defended Paul Gascoigne's infamous flute playing antic and was critical of those who exposed former Rangers goalkeeper, Andy Goram, as a loyalist fanatic.

The sad truth is that football in Scotland is as steeped in sectarianism as it is in the North and that Thomas has just become another statistic of the sectarian hatred which blights Scottish football and society.

More needs to be done to stamp out this sectarianism in Scotland and the Six Counties. The three monkeys approach, as perfected by the IFA and NIO here, is no longer enough. But it is too late for the families of Thomas McFadden and Mark Wright.

Cork's double dreams shattered


Meath's fourth All-Ireland in 12 years ended Cork's double dreams. Sean Boylan's troops' late rally was enough to see off a determined Rebel onslaught.

The key to their success was their excellent teamwork, when they held their game together after a second-half penalty miss and subsequent goal from Cork's Joe's Kavanagh.

Another vital component of their victory was their forward line, which was that little bit stronger and more able than that of Cork. Evan Kelly for me starred, while Geraghty finished the game strong when it was needed.

Sean Og O hAilpĂ­n missed out on becoming only the second player in history to win both senior hurling and football All-Ireland medals in the one year, but as he pointed out after the game, many would have gladly swapped their position for his this year. But one wonders how much all that talk of the double affected the Cork lads. I have no doubt, however, that they will be back, although that will be the last thing on their minds at the moment.

Down delight


When Down's minor captain, Liam Doyle, lifted the All-Ireland, he helped ease the gloom that has engulfed Ulster football.

It is five years since an Ulster county won a senior All-Ireland and four years since they reached the final, but at underage level the tide is turning again. Following on from Tyrone's great win last year, Down deservedly captured the title they last won in 1987.

The Mournemen's victory over Mayo was achieved in some style and augurs well for football in Ulster and Down in particular. This year may have signalled the end of an era for their great side that won the senior All-Irelands of 1991 and 1994, but on Sunday the backbone of another great Down side for the future was on show.

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