Back covering soccer yesterday, Tom English opted for some attention seeking as Celtic scored at Livingston.
A two month stint on the egg-chasing Six Nations circuit seems to have drawn a blank in terms of exciting new job opportunities even after extensive networking at the Aviva Stadium when Scotland were the visitors. English continues in his little bubble as Chief Sports Writer for BBC Scotland.
Before the match at Livingston kicked off the three sides of the stadium occupied by the away support revealed a green, white and orange Tifo followed by a huge banner remembering the 1916 uprising that freed part of Ireland from British rule.
It seems that those events put the man from the state broadcaster on a bit of a downer, he probably had better plans for his Easter Sunday than being surrounded by 8,000 Celtic fans enjoying themselves as their team returned to top spot in the Premiership.
You do seem to only mention Celtic though no?
— Ross ConnelI (@RosskoC) March 31, 2024
Only if you’ve ignored my stuff for 19 years
— Tom English (@TEnglishSport) March 31, 2024
From that tweet it sounds like English has been highlighting and calling out the anti-Irish and anti-Catholic singing and chanting that is at the heart of the Ibrox matchday experience.
A number of Twitter users requested a link to some of his campaigning articles and opinion pieces but strangely none of them were given a reply.
With no real contacts or influence in sport outside of Gorgie Road Twitter is the place where English finds comfort, claiming that he is In The Know from hours spent trawling online while Tut Tutting with his fellow media types about the threat posed to legacy media by its new, lively and opinionated social rival.
English has a long and well established dislike to all things Celtic dating back to his return to Scotland and a job at Scotland on Sunday after his dreams of a prime rugger job in Ireland were strangely cut short.
Following on from Kevin McCarra, Graham Spiers and Jonathan Northcroft was miles beyond English’s skillset with the plunge in sales at Scotland on Sunday way outperforming the industry average.
With his Limerick background he went more than the extra mile to disassociate himself with any sympathy for Celtic, his outspoken dislike for Neil Lennon earned him regular appearances on BBC Sportsound.
Craig Whyte’s need for willing messengers saw English excel himself, sticking loyally by the former billionaire even after he was disowned by James Traynor and the Daily Record.
All of that opened the doors to BBC Scotland and a welcome escape from the fast retracting newspaper industry, inside Pacific Quay he quickly acquired the nickname of House Paddy.
No one tried harder than their Chief Sports Writer to build bridges during a seven year stand off between the state broadcaster and their heroes along Paisley Road West at Ibrox.
When UEFA twice closed sections of Ibrox in 2019 due to the offensive chanting of their fans BBC Scotland decided to focus on the quickly launched Everyone Anyone campaign.
More recently the BBC were forced to apologise for the crass comments of English following the tragic death of Shane Warne.
During the summer while moonlighting on an Irish podcast with BBC equipment the man from Limerick was sounding off about Brendan Rodgers as if he was sharing a debriefing with Kenny Macintyre, Jane Lewis and Alasdair Lamont.
There was no invite for BBC Scotland when Brendan Rodgers was unveiled as Celtic boss last June, that situation continues although the state broadcaster does get pre and most match access as part of their SPFL contract.
CLICK HERE for the key questions unanswered about Rodgers’ Hampden appeal.
CLICK HERE for BBC Scotland report on Livingston 0-3 Celtic (not by English).
Or when was the most recent condemnation in Twitter of their offensive chants?
— P (@not_ewe_again) March 31, 2024
Can you point us to your post(s) about the Rangers fans’ song directed at Martin Boyle when he was seriously hurt at Easter Road in Scottish Cup tie? Surely it’s out there and I missed it …
— Donald Cowey (@DonaldCowey) April 1, 2024
Post any link of your output condemning sectarian songs about being to the their knees in your blood. Spineless
— Alan Johnson (@VicVinegar1984) March 31, 2024
We’ve seen you drip your poison in Scotland Tom – ever since you were effectively run out of Irish journalism for your hatchet pieces on an Irish sportsmen.
Self-loather with a pen might be an apt description of you Tom— Dermot Houston (@DeRebCelts) March 31, 2024
So where was you’re tweet yesterday?
— Francis McDonald (@FrancisMcdonal7) March 31, 2024
Nothing will be said next week
— CelticChavez (@CelticChavez) March 31, 2024
Right you are Uncle Tom pic.twitter.com/Rt3saiL0eR
— Mitch (@bhoyjangles) March 31, 2024
Derek, if you’re going to tweet at least know what I’ve written before 🙄
— Tom English (@TEnglishSport) March 31, 2024
The ignorance is quite something
— Tom English (@TEnglishSport) March 31, 2024
