HELLO HELLO, WE ARE THE BILLY BOYS
HELLO HELLO
YOU'LL KNOW US BY OUR NOISE
WE'RE UP TO OUR KNEES IN FENIAN BLOOD
SURRENDER OR YOU'LL DIE
FOR WE ARE THE BRIDGETON BILLY BOYS

The Billy Boys where a Glasgow street gang formed in 1924 by Billy Fullerton. Their formation in Bridgeton came about after he was attacked by a hammer welding catholic after he had scored the winning goal in a park game of football. For the next 10 years the 800 strong gang were prominent at Orange walks and Rangers games. They were broken up in 1934 by 'offensive' police tactics.

Could someone please enlighten me on the relevance of a song about a Glasgow street gang from the 1920/1930's to a Northern Ireland football international?

"Up to our knees in fenian blood". Who's blood?

Michael Hughes, Neil Lennon, Steve Morrow, Lawrie McMenemy, Joe Jordan, Pat Jennings, Philip Mulryne or Gerry Taggarts?

Think about it why don't you

Lets leave the politics and religion outside Windsor on international night.

By the way those who sung 'You can stick your peace agreement up your asre' followed by 'Here lies a soldier of the UVF' at the Swiss game may care to note the PUP and the UVF supported the agreement.

This 'plea' appeared in issue 5 of the fanzine. John Laverty republished it in full a few days later on the back page of the Belfast Telegraph.

The reaction to it was, lets say interesting. It ranged from other fans contacting us and offering help and support to threats of physical abuse! Gary Hancock of the Amalgammation of NISC called for a boycott of the fanzine because, as I later found out, we weren't towing the line. I took that to mean we should be ignoring, like the IFA and Amalgammation, the embrassing issue of the sectarian songs at internationals.

The article and more so the coverage in the Belfast Telegraph was the catalyst for the fundamental change in the atmosphere matches and image Northern Ireland fans now have. Supporters began to shout down those who started the sectarian songs and the IFA and Amalgamation were, you could say, shamed into action and what is now Football for All.