Jelly and Ice Cream or Boring Times When Rangers Die?

I, personally, do not want Rangers to ‘die’.

I am, perhaps, among a minority of Celtic fans who wouldn’t like this whole scenario to end with Rangers ceasing to exist, and no Old Firm matches to look forward to.

While I was listening to the chants from the stands at the Caledonian Stadium last weekend it got me thinking, more than usual, about a potential life without our bitter rivals, the ones we love to hate and the other half of arguably the biggest rivalry in football. And, I must admit, whilst the immediate aftermath seemed sweet, the long-term did not. This is all purely hypothetical, of course.

Can anyone say they wouldn't miss the Old Firm rivalry? 

At first, the hilarity of Rangers going bust would fill our days with joy and we would sing songs and tease fans of a 'past' football team. But then, how long would it take for us to miss Rangers? Some would say never, while some would say years. Others would say that a new Rangers team would emerge and make their way back up the ranks, creating a ‘New Firm’ perhaps.

I do not have sympathy or empathy for Rangers’ current struggles though, why would I? These problems have caused them to sell one of the best strikers to play in the SPL for some time, with no replacement bought.

Much has changed since I last bothered to write a blog. The Green half of Glasgow were undone by their Blue counterparts, 4-2, and times looked like they couldn’t get worse, but they did. However this proved to be the dark before the light, the ‘things will get worse before they get better’ stage. And they did get better.

Even Scott Brown is making it hard for me to dislike him now, with his fine displays and goal-scoring form, most notably in last night’s 4-0 thrashing of Hearts at Tynecastle. 

The 15 point lead Rangers once had is now gone, as they look up the table at Celtic sitting 4 points clear. This all makes for some pretty depressing reading if you’re a Bear, and the near future doesn’t look too bright either.

I don’t want to suggest that Celtic will head down the same road as Rangers if they are without their Glaswegian rivals. I also don’t want to comment on the financial implications this would have for Celtic if it did happen, because, quite simply, nobody really knows.

Sone 'Money' Aluko paid his own transfer fee.
I can't see many more doing that, can you?

However, what I can say I probably do know is that, if we were to bid a sweet farewell to Rangers FC, Celtic would have a clear stroll to the SPL title, completely unopposed for many years, at the very least.

This total dominance of Scottish football would perhaps be a positive thing for most fans. Celtic would eventually catch up to Rangers’ 54 league titles, that they like to remind us of so often.

But could any Hoops fan really say they’d rather achieve this without beating the Teddy Bears each season? Without having any opponents to add a bit of excitement to a league which is already branded as a boring, two-horse race?  And how long before winning the SPL becomes so much of a formality that it’s boring?

I also believe that the standard of player at Celtic would slip, further, if this were to happen. Celtic and Rangers are so far ahead of the rest SPL already that without having to beat Rangers the standard of players coming in wouldn’t need to be as high (yes, I know it isn’t very high at all) as it is now.

In an ideal world, Celtic and Rangers would both be dominant European forces, with Celtic always a step ahead, of course. But this isn’t an ideal world, as Rangers, Ally McCoist and Craig Whyte well know, but whatever happens to Rangers will likely (hopefully) hurt them for years to come. But preferably not ‘kill’.

A potential life in Division 3 looms for Rangers should they liquidate, one which will be considered 'death' to the Celtic fans, but one which will inevitably see Rangers back in the top flight again. 

With that circumstance in mind, it will indeed be a lot easier to enjoy my jelly and ice cream, should Rangers 'die'.