The media’s persistence in using the O** F*** tag is because it it allows them to implicate Celtic in every Ibrox offence

All my life supporting Celtic, the O** F*** tag was one I never liked.

I always felt it partnered us to the old club playing out of Ibrox in a way and that just didn’t sit right with me.

As well as that, I did not like the way we shared the same sponsors right up until they went bust.

I wondered when the new Ibrox outfit arrived in the top flight, what terminology would be used to describe our new rivalry.

Clearly, they weren’t the same club.

So we couldn’t possibly be termed as the O** F***, could we?

When I first heard our rivalry titled as the Glasgow Derby, I thought, spot on.

Because that’s exactly what it was, a derby between two clubs from the same city.

The same as a game against Partick Thistle is a derby, as they’re from Glasgow too.

Ironically enough, when we first played the new club on February 1st 2015 in a League Cup semi-final, the Daily Record refrained from even mentioning the term O** F***.

It was no where to be seen in their post match report.

The Guardian, however, titled it the first O** F*** derby for almost 3 years.

That would stem from a disconnect from the game north of the border, and a flippant use a of term that was no longer applicable to the sides contesting that first Glasgow Derby.

Put simply, it was used in ignorance.

All Celtic fans had a clear understanding that it no longer existed.

Hence the reason the Celtic fans published a letter in a popular Sunday Newspaper prior to the match.

They did this to place on record they believed the term was redundant and that we were playing a new club.

Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves in a position where we get the O** F*** title rammed down our throat at every opportunity.

I believe it is used for two purposes.

Firstly, to piss all Celtic fans off and ignore our statement from 8 years ago, where we placed on record that we would not recognise the term.

Secondly, for a more sinister reason.

And that reason became readily apparent after last Saturday’s Glasgow Derby.

It is used as a deflection tactic to take the heat off the Ibrox side as they continuously lash out at everything and everyone around them.

It is also used to make it look like we are in some way involved in their disgusting behaviour.

In other words, to push the old two sides of the same coin bollocks.

After last weekend’s match, referee Kevin Clancy’s details were leaked into the public domain.

From there on, he received depraved emails and death threats from Ibrox supporters after disallowing a goal by Alfredo Morelos.

First up is the headline from serial Ibrox lick arses, the BBC:

Referee and wife received ‘death threats’ after Old Firm match

A referee and his wife have received death threats after Saturday’s Old Firm match, the BBC understands.

The Scottish Football Association said Kevin Clancy was targeted after his contact details were published online following the Celtic v R*****s game.

Abusive messages sent to Mr Clancy were also directed at his children.

The SFA has referred the matter to Police Scotland, but a force spokesman said it had yet to receive the correspondence.

After reading those first few lines, if you didn’t already know the answer, the first question you’d ask is this:

Who threatened Kevin Clancy, was it Celtic or Ibrox fans?

Because from reading those opening lines, you genuinely would not know.

Mission accomplished, Celtic are now implicated in this, despite having nothing to do with it.

Two sides of the same coin.

The narrative is the same in The Sun (shock horror) and pretty much the same in most other titles.

There is little or no reference to the Ibrox club.

Just a continuous narrative in relation to the O** F*** and then a mention of Celtic v R*****s following on from that.

Genuinely, reading the first few lines of most articles, you would struggle to understand which club was responsible for the abuse directed at Kevin Clancy.

The continued persistence in using the O** F*** title for both clubs, is an easy way to implicate Celtic in all of the offences the Ibrox club commits.

For us, as Celtic fans, we know exactly what’s going on here.

For outsiders, they just look at the O** F*** as two clubs who are as bad as each other.

It is genuinely infuriating.

But the media knows this and this is why they persist with it.

It is a cop out.

The same as the way they cop out of actually reporting accurately on the Ibrox club, and highlighting what’s really going on over there.

Like the shit set of accounts that was released last Friday night under the radar, and the bitter court battles they’re embroiled in.

The use of the O** F*** title is gutless and balls-less.

They know this and that’s why they persist with it.

But the facts do not lie.

We are not half of anything.

One club, one support, unbroken.

Since 1888.