Oswestry, Hay-On-Wye and Berwick-Upon-Tweed: Football Fandom, Nationalism and National Identity Across the Celtic Borders
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Oswestry, Hay-on-Wye and Berwick-upon-Tweed: Football fandom, nationalism and national identity across the Celtic borders Robert Bevan School of Welsh Cardiff University 2016 This thesis is submitted to the School of Welsh, Cardiff University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD. All rights reserved. 1 Form: PGR_Submission_2014 NOTICE OF SUBMISSION OF THESIS FORM: POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH APPENDIX 1: Specimen layout for Thesis Summary and Declaration/Statements page to be included in a Thesis DECLARATION This work has not been submitted in substance for any other degree or award at this or any other university or place of learning, nor is being submitted concurrently in candidature for any degree or other award. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 1 This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of ………………………… ( PhD) Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 2 This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references. The views expressed are my own. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 3 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available online in the University’s Open Access repository and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 4: PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BAR ON ACCESS I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available online in the University’s Open Access repository and for inter-library loans after expiry of a bar on access previously approved by the Academic Standards & Quality Committee. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… 2 ABSTRACT Oswestry, Hay-on-Wye and Berwick-upon-Tweed: Football fandom, nationalism and national identity across the Celtic borders Little research has been devoted to studying the interconnections between the ambiguous border identities along the so-called ‘Celtic fringe’ in the UK. It is important to explore whether, in the new context of the devolved Welsh and Scottish states, people resident in the border areas of Wales and Scotland will increasingly come to identify with the Welsh or Scottish “nation” and with its official “nationality”. Using the sociological approach advocated by Robert K. Yin, this thesis draws on ethnographical research to explore the precise nature of the relationship between contemporary national identity, nationalism, borderlands and football fandom. It examines supporters in three border towns: Oswestry (Shropshire), Hay-on-Wye (Powys), and Berwick-upon- Tweed (Northumberland). Focus groups were conducted with match-going supporters of Welsh league champions The New Saints of Oswestry Town, Scottish League Two side Berwick Rangers and Hay St. Mary’s Football Club, who compete in both the Herefordshire and Mid Wales leagues. Examining football fans’ expressions of identity, this study discusses national sentiment and explores identity – local, regional and national – in the England-Wales and England-Scotland border regions from a theoretical and comparative perspective. A detailed and grounded study of national identity and nationalism amongst fans in the borderlands of Wales and Scotland will appeal to academics and students of sports history and with interests in ethnography, the sociology of sport, football fandom, debatable borderlands and contemporary national identities. 3 Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction 8 Chapter 2 – Literature Review 13 Chapter 3 – Methodology 66 Chapter 4 – Case Study 1: Berwick Rangers Football Club, Berwick-upon- 88 Tweed (Northumberland) Chapter 5 – Case Study 2: The New Saints of Oswestry Town Football 116 Club, Oswestry (Shropshire) Chapter 6 – Case Study 3: Hay Saint Mary’s Football Club, Hay-on-Wye 142 (Powys) Chapter 7 – Discussion 167 Chapter 8 – Conclusion 206 Bibliography 211 Maps Fig. 1 – Teams in the Welsh Premier League 2011-12 including Rhyl FC 48 from the Cymru Alliance Fig. 2 – Herefordshire 53 Fig. 3 – The New Saint FC, Hay St. Mary’s FC and the six Welsh ‘exiles’ 57 playing in England: Cardiff City FC, Swansea City FC, Newport County AFC, Merthyr Town FC, Wrexham FC and Colwyn Bay FC Fig. 4 – The Anglo-Scottish Border 89 Fig. 5 – Northumberland 96 Fig. 6 – Scots Dialects of Scotland and Northern Ireland 101 4 Fig. 7 – Scottish League Two clubs and Scottish League One rival side 108 Stenhousemuir Football Club Fig. 8 – The Welsh Language in the 2011 Census 127 Fig. 9 – North Wales 131 Fig. 10 – Shropshire 136 Fig. 11 – Powys 154 Fig. 12 – Scots and Scottish Gaelic language speakers in the 2011 Census 173 Fig. 13 – Selkirk FC (Scottish Borders), Berwick Rangers FC and Blyth Spartans 176 FC (both Northumberland) Fig. 14 – Hadrian’s Wall and Antonine Wall 185 Appendices Appendix 1 – Illustrations, prompts and sources for focus groups Berwick Rangers Football Club Fig. 15 – Berwick Rangers Football Club crest 233 Fig. 16 – Newspaper coverage of Berwick Rangers FC in The Journal 234 Fig. 17 – Newspaper coverage of Berwick Rangers FC in The Scotsman 234 Fig. 18 – Newspaper coverage of Berwick Rangers FC in The Daily Mail 235 Fig. 19 – Newspaper coverage of Berwick Rangers in The Berwickshire News 235 Fig. 20 – Scottish flags used by Annan Athletic FC, Scottish League Two 236 Fig. 21 – Scottish flags used by Montrose FC, Scottish League Two 236 Fig. 22 – Use of Scots on the website of Arbroath FC, Scottish League Two 237 Fig. 23 – Use of Scots on the website of Forfar Athletic FC, Scottish League One 237 Fig. 24 – Use of Scots on the website of Partick Thistle, Scottish Premiership 237 Fig. 25 – Use of Scots on the website of Carnoustie Panmure JFC, Scottish 238 Junior Football East Region Super League Fig. 26 – Berwick Rangers FC ‘Scottish’ scarf 239 Fig. 27 – Berwick Rangers FC ‘English’ scarf 240 The New Saints of Oswestry Town Football Club Fig. 28 – The New Saints FC crest 241 Fig. 29 – Comments made by Shropshire’s council leader, Oswestry town 242 5 Mayor and The New Saints’ General Manager Fig. 30 – Comments made by Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling 243 Fig. 31 – Bohemians flags at a Champions League qualifying match at Park 244 Hall, Oswestry on 20th July 2010 Fig. 32 – Welsh flags visible at Carmarthen Town FC’s matches in the Welsh 245 Premier League Fig. 33 – TNS flags away to Belgian champions RSC Anderlecht in a Champions 246 League Qualifying round on 3 August 2010. Fig. 34 – Bilingual poster advertising the Welsh Cup Final in 2010 247 Fig. 35– Bilingual signage advertising the Llanelli AFC club shop and an 248 upcoming friendly football fixture Fig. 36 – Use of the Welsh language on the website of Welsh Premier League 249 opponents Bala Town FC Fig. 37 – Use of the Welsh language on Football Association of Wales’ website 249 Fig. 38 – Use of the Welsh language on the website of Welsh Premier League 250 opponents Carmarthen Town AFC Fig. 39 – Use of the Welsh language on the website of Welsh Premier League 250 opponents Bangor City FC Fig. 40 – The New Saints of Oswestry Town home shirt for the 2010-11 season. 251 Fig. 41 – The New Saints of Oswestry Town away shirt for the 2010-11 season. 252 Hay St. Mary’s Football Club Fig. 42 – Hay St. Mary’s Football Club crest 253 Fig. 43 – Comments made by the Secretary of the Central Wales FA in 254 December 2010. Fig. 44 – Coverage of Hay St. Mary’s on the English FA’s website 255 Fig. 45 – Coverage of Hay St. Mary’s on the FAW website 256 Fig. 46 – Coverage of Hay St. Mary’s on the website of Welsh language 257 broadcaster Sgorio Fig. 47 – Newspaper coverage of Hay St. Mary’s in The Hereford Times, 258 20 August 2010 6 Fig. 48 – Welsh flags used by fans of Wrexham AFC in the English National 259 Conference Fig. 49 – Welsh flags used by fans of Cardiff City Football Club in the English 259 Championship Fig. 50 - Welsh flags used by fans of Colwyn Bay in the Northern Premier League 260 Fig. 51 – Welsh flags used by fans of Swansea City Football Club in the English 260 Premier League Fig. 52 – Welsh Cup trophy with the Welsh national flag in the background 261 Fig. 53 – Bilingual poster advertising the Welsh Cup Final in 2010 262 Fig. 54 – Use of the Welsh language on Football Association of Wales’ website 263 Fig. 55 – Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli. Fans queuing for Welsh Cup Final tickets in 263 May 2010 Fig. 56 – Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli. The venue for Welsh Cup Final in May 2010 264 Fig. 57 – England’s national football team crest (“Three Lions”) 265 Fig. 58 – Wales national football crest (Translation: “Best play is team play”) 266 Appendix 2 – Focus groups questions o Berwick Rangers Football Club 267 o The New Saints of Oswestry Town Football Club 269 o Hay St. Mary’s Football Club 271 Appendix 3 – Transcripts of the focus groups o Berwick Rangers Supporters’ Club (Pilot Study) 273 o Berwick Rangers Supporters’ Trust 304 o The New Saints of Oswestry Town Football Club 342 o Hay St. Mary’s Football Club 399 7 Chapter 1 – Introduction The research seeks to investigate the use of football to create, maintain and project English, Welsh or Scottish national identity in the border towns of Oswestry (Shropshire), Hay- on-Wye (Powys), and Berwick-upon-Tweed (Northumberland). Specifically, the research explores the often complex relationship between support for a club and support for a national team which is often related to location.1 This research addresses crucial issues around contemporary football and cross-border culture and examines layers of identity – local, regional, national – which are considered in relation to a detailed and grounded study of nationalism. Contemporary ‘Celtic’ borderlands are a hotbed of contention, where identities are redefined and contested.