Scotland's Shame

[O'Callaghan]

Being a non-Scot, I don't know much about this subject, but I wonder how much of it really has to do with the differing beliefs of Catholics and Protestants, and how much of it has to do other issues, such as which team to cheer for.

That's rather the point. In a Celtic v Rangers game there is absolute identity between religious affiliation and which team the fans root for. They are the same. Catholics are for Celtic and Protestants are for Rangers. If there had been a riot, untangling whether it was religious or team related would necessarily be entirely impossible.

ETA: Seems I am wrong, from the post above.

Whilst it might have been unwise to have worn a scarf with the Pope's likeness on it, I do sympathise with the fan, as it was a commemorative scarf and obviously of sentimental value, and honestly, an ordinary Celtic scarf would be as much of a red rag to some Rangers fans.

Bear in mind that whilst my user name would be obviously Catholic to Scottish football fans, I am in fact an atheist, and my background is a mixture of English Protestant, English agnostic/atheist and Irish Catholic. Mind you, a lot of Scottish Catholics are of Irish descent anyway. Frankly, I would stay well away from a Celtic/Rangers match myself.