Albert Einstein once said: ‘The only thing we can be certain of in this life is that we can be certain of nothing.”
Nonsense, Albert. We can also be certain that the Hotline will throw up rancour and recrimination. Every. Single. Day. Today’s subject matter is the national anthem and minute’s silences at football grounds, following the death of Queen Elizabeth. Naturally, those who hit the Hotline had very differing views. Bobby Duncan, Skelmorlie, emailed: “So, UEFA said no to Chelsea and Rangers playing the National Anthem before the European game this week in honour of The Queen’s death. How dare they? I wouldn’t even have asked their permission. I would have just done it….we pay too much credence to these authorities.”
But Vincent McGhee, Greenock, said: “To push clubs into playing the English national anthem before games is ludicrous. Nothing good will come from it, that is a guarantee. First they postpone our games whilst all other sports go ahead. That was wrong to begin with and now we have to put up with this. Black armbands will suffice like the passing of any other person is the best way to show respect and to avoid inevitable trouble.”
Jim Mackenzie, East Kilbride, said: “ For the fans that think the football should have gone ahead with a minute or two minutes’ silence at the weekend...this would not have been observed by one set of fans who don’t even respect a minute’s silence for Remembrance Day. They would have shamed Scotland.”
Gary Stevenson, Newtonhill, emailed: “It’s an absolute disgrace that Liverpool had to make a plea to supporters to adhere to the silence for Queen Elizabeth. Past indiscretions have them on edge in full view of the world. Perhaps that’s why all football was cancelled at the weekend as certain clubs have a shameful history.”
Andrew Lamb, Fraserburgh emailed: “I can’t believe how selfish caller Alan McPherson from Cullen was being, on suggestions that all games should have gone ahead last Saturday . Alan, it’s a game of football for God’s sake - we witnessed the end of an era with the death of HM The Queen. Our great nation was in mourning.”
There were a couple of football calls, but they also involved Old Firm potshots.
Celtic were back in action against Shakhtar Donetsk but Jake Curley, Edinburgh, was still thinking about last week’s clash, emailing: “ Celtic’ s 0-3 defeat at home to Real Madrid is growing arms and legs. If this legendary fixture continues to grow at the present rate they will surpass Jock Stein’s victory in Lisbon by Christmas.”
While Peter Lyons, Blantyre, emailed: ”I think Gary Stevenson needs reminding of which British team holds the lowest accumulated points in the Champions League. It’s 2 points held by Rangers.”
Finally, Alan Lough, Dunbar, said: “The offside rule needs to be so that it’s not just a part of a player’s body that’s offside, but their whole body. It’s a piece of nonsense that a player can be level with an opponent but they are declared offside because they have an arm or leg sticking out. It’s a farce that needs to be sorted out once and for all.”
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