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The ‘Everyone, Anyone’ Rangers appoint a DUP councillor & Worshipful Master of the Orange Order as their Head of Media

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When ‘the Rangers rolled out their ‘Everyone, Anyone’ diversity and inclusion campaign, last summer it’s fair to say it was met with scepticism.

Some rather cynical types claimed it as a deflection tactic to remove some of the heat on the board from UEFA’s watchful gaze as their staunch support sang uplifting ditties of famine or of the blood of Irishmen swishing around their knees. Presumably when their trouser leg is rolled up.

Rangers MD Stewart Robertson, manager Steven Gerrard, Captain James Tavernier, Andy Halliday, singer Amy McDonald and local politicians all came out in support for the campaign. In July the first team players showed their support by wearing t-shirts in the build-up to the Europa League qualifier against Progres. That’s progres not progress, let’s not get carried away.

According to their club website ‘the’ Rangers said the campaign was a sign they would “work across the club to champion diversity, encourage tolerance and understanding, and promote positive behaviour as part of this ambitious new strategy.

Rangers (sic) is for everyone and anyone and this campaign will send a clear message of zero tolerance to all forms of discrimination, on and off the pitch.”

That message must have got a bit lost, what with UEFA taking a rather firm stance on, well racism from the support and the Ibrox club were hit by not one but two partial stadium closure bans for sectarian chanting in a matter of weeks following the rolling out of the campaign.

The club was forced to leave 3,000 seats vacant at Ibrox for their opening Europa League group game against Feyenoord on 19 September. That offence having been committed by travelling supporters during a first-leg tie at Legia Warsaw on 22 August. That was the same punishment the club was given for racist behaviour by fans during a Europa League first round, second leg against St Joseph’s on July 18. For that offence the club had to keep 3,000 seats empty for Thursday’s second leg tie with Legia Warsaw.

After the second charge the Scottish Premiership club said that they would not take tickets for their clash with Young Boys in Berne, possibly as it was all just getting a bit too close to a full stadium closure.

Still sometimes it can take a bit of time, old habits die hard as the saying goes. Sometimes it can take a bit of persistence to beat resistance when it comes to entrenched views. Often actions speak louder than words.

So when Jim Traynor-or ‘the’ Rangers board -finally realised, when the PR guru is more often than not the actual story it’s rather poor form and decided to jump ship, the heir to the throne was going to be an interesting appointment.

In terms of their ‘Everyone, Anyone’ it certainly is that.

David Graham replaces Tom Traynor

They have appointed David Graham as Head of communications and media relations, That’s the man to take forward their public relations into a brave new era.

A man who according to his register of interests with Belfast City Council https://minutes3.belfastcity.gov.uk/mgDeclarationSubmission.aspx?UID=409&HID=482&FID=0&HPID=502710721 is also a member of a Royal Black Preceptory – a protestant fraternal society. 60 of these preceptories exist organised into 11 districts across Scotland so Mr Graham should be alright for making new friends in a new country.

In October 2019, Mr Graham’s lodge – Belfast’s George Telford Memorial Orange Lodge – was investigated by Belfast City Council, after video footage emerged of the Govan Protestant Boys flute band marching through Belfast’s city hall while playing The Sash during the lodge’s 100-year anniversary dinner.

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/10/14/news/video-investigation-launched-after-govan-protestant-boys-march-in-belfast-city-hall-1738279/

Perhaps I’m missing something here. Why appoint someone with little or no PR history bar a spell as a special adviser to the Northern Irish education minister, or indeed someone with no knowledge of the Scottish media or politics? Someone with connections to political parties and secret organisations not exactly renowned for inclusivity and tolerance of other beliefs and faiths?

The DUP’s stance on LGBT rights and same sex marriage is well known, I assume Mr Graham would have been happy with those political stances when he became a councillor for the party. It doesn’t really scream ‘everyone, anyone’ to me.

Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson has said this today about David Graham’s appointment: “David shares our vision, passion and enthusiasm for the club.”

I’m sure he does.

Doesn’t strike me that there’s been much progress since Progres.

Niall J

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As a Bellshill Bhoy I was taken to my first Celtic game in the summer of 1987. It was Billy McNeill’s return to Celtic Park as manager and Celtic lost 5-1 to Arsenal . I thought I was a jinx, I think my Grandfather might have thought the same. It was the finest gift anyone ever gave me when he walked me through Parkhead's gates.

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