Walsall - Stop "That" Song

By Neil Ravenscroft
April 25 2003

I have been getting more and more annoyed by the singing of that "Pope and the IRA" song, and believe it's time we made sure it was stopped.

One of the more disturbing developments at Bescot Stadium this season has been the fact that this offensive song is still being sung from the terraces (and seats) and shows no sign of dying out. In fact, some of the “children” on the Rivals message board have defended the singing of it, as a “traditional Saddlers song”

When this rather obnoxious tradition is supposed to have started beats me, as I have been going to watch the team for forty years and it’s only been in the last three or four that it has become common, probably since the hooligan element in football ruined England’s last game in Dublin.

The team at the moment has several players from Catholic countries, in Leitao, Junior and Aranalde, all of whom are. I presume Catholics, and Junior, in addition, is obviously a committed Christian, judging by his “T” shirts and some of his comments in interviews. In addition, I assume that both Corica and Zdrilic are Catholics, as they always cross themselves as they run out.

I cannot imagine that any committed Catholic, at least, would not find this song offensive and many others of us do, even those with no religion, such as myself.

So why bring this subject up now?

Tomorrow should be a party atmosphere, as we celebrate an historic third season in this Division, something we haven’t done since the 1800s, when it was the bottom division anyway. What we don’t want is the joyful atmosphere spoiled by the singing of a sectarian song, associated with the worst aspects of the Northern Ireland violence and the “yob” element amongst Glasgow Rangers fans.

I would ask everyone at the Derby game to make their feelings known if this chant should start, and even to consider making an official complaint to the Stewards. If enough make their point, then Roy Whalley will have to act in the future to remove this undesirable element from our football ground. As, I suspect, many of the singers of the song are responsible for the small racist element amongst our supporters, we would be doing everyone a favour.

I would hasten to add that these are, of course, my own personal views, but hope that all true supporters would agree.