City and Religion

[Karl8]

I’m an older City fan and have np been watching the blues since the mid 70s. My mum and that side of my family are Glaswegian and Protestants. They are therefore on the Rangers side. I was brought up to understand that City were mainly Protestant and Utd catholic. It’s something that has remained with me, and whilst I do still believe it’s true, it’s far less obvious than the
Protestant/ Catholic divide that exists in Glasgow.

 

[Spurs quarter 69]

I've said it before, I honestly think City's protestant, queen and country tradition was a factor in keeping so much of our fan base loyal in the dark days of the 90s. I had an Irish mum and all my nominally Catholic in Dublin are rags. In Ireland the rags and dippers have massive support probably Arsenal next. Maybe different now but never met a blue in Dublin , got a kicking there for wearing my City shirt to a friendly against Celtic in the early 90s, deserved it for naivety.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

I'd always heard this chestnut. But I've seen very, very little concrete evidence of it over the years. I think there's some truth in the United/Irish/Catholic connection. By the way, didn't Best come from a Protestant family, incidentally? I'm pretty sure Whiteside did.
Never heard any chant on the terraces that could possibly be construed as Unionist, or favouring the Unionists particularly. Never heard a chant in favour of the Primate of All England (as he is so delightfully described).
What I did hear when we bored out of our skulls by a match that was just going through the motions (and yes, they did exist!) was “Celtic, Rangers, Celtic, Rangers, Celtic, Rangers” being started by wags at the back of the Kippax. Just to wake themselves (and us) up…

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

More to do with religion…

I’m glad that any original or old City religious connections disappeared early doors with our club and fan culture. Especially as I’m someone who doesn’t believe in any gods.

Always hated this banner:

View attachment 139397

And when City fans refer to City as ‘God’s own club’……… sling it!

It's just a bit of bantz, you know. Completely tongue in cheek.

 

[Mr Fraser]

Sammy McIlroy too.
i remember him getting booed most kicks he had at MR with him having played at a certain other club !

I recall mcllroy saying he got booed cos he played for the rags. No he got booed cos he was shit. He got extra boos cos he played for the rags

 

[blue44]

I recall mcllroy saying he got booed cos he played for the rags. No he got booed cos he was shit. He got extra boos cos he played for the rags

I agree with all of that,but thats how shit we were then anyway to buy a rag like him,maybe we got him on a free ,i can't remember

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

And Northern Irish. One of our greatest ever legends, Peter Doherty.

Not really, from what I remember. The IRA bombed Manchester four times and nearby Warrington twice, between 1992-1996. I think there was more of a reaction from England’s hardcore football fans about it than City and United’s.

There was nothing directed at any players at City around it.

Lomas, Horlock, the Whitley brothers, Neil Lennon, Gerry Taggart (i think? wasn't he at City)

 

[Tolmie scores]

I remember Jimmy Conway beating John McEnroe in the 82 Wimbledon final. Really got me into tennis.

Jimmy (the real one) sadly passed from dementia recently - another of the games casualties from back in the heavy ball days

 

[berryblue]

In my early football lifetime 1940s onwards Celtic ever only signed catholic players, Rangers protestant. City and United never ever did this. The religious links are tenuous.

 

[berryblue]

I happen to be CofE and a lifetime City supporter. I was at a school on Princess Road and walked to City matches in the evenings and after school on Saturday mornings. Almost everyone at school was a City supporter and most, but by no means all, boys at the nearby RC school supported the Rags. I remember my mother telling me not to go out with my City scarf in 1962 ( I was eight) on Easter Sunday when the RC marches were taking place.

Does any of this ancient history matter? Not at all. We just need to be comfortable with the fact that it was only the churches in the nineteenth century that had the structures and inclination to run local sports teams. Our support never had anything to do with the worst excesses of sectarianism. More generally, thankfully Manchester (and most UK cities) have moved on and the linkage was always very loose. I have recollections of cheering the halftime results when Rangers and Liverpool were winning but could not have explained why; it was just what you did and had become a habit.

The Manchester Catholic walks were held on Whit weekends. Think your mum got mixed up.