Scotland, Ireland, France, Argentina, Germany - just 5 of the countries referred to as 'the old enemy' by English commentators and media, whenever they meet up in major sporting events. Any wonder that Scots would reciprocate with the same term?
'But it often does not feel like banter if you are on the receiving end.'
So this guy can dish it out, but can't take it?
I think that banter like this, and it is banter, is pretty harmless in itself, although it stems from a much darker history of conquest and colonisation.
I think the burning of any flag is disgraceful. We see far too much of it here in NI, by both 'sides', and it always angers me. For Scottish football fans to burn any flag for any reason brings shame on those individuals, though not the nation of Scotland, as it wasn't burned by the Scottish parliament. There are idiots in every country who will do this type of thing.
'Or of the Welsh footballers being told NOT to sing the National Anthem during the Olympics?'
Would they have been allowed to sing 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'? That is, after all, their national anthem? Could the Scots have sung Flower of Scotland? National anthems are a contentious issue on these isles, and perhaps some of the competitors felt that it would be going against their own national identity to sing a song that is seen as exclusively English, especially considering that it used refer to crushing the 'rebellious Scots'?
As to the ABE thing - I see that as pure banter between the different nations on these isles. You subjugated us all at some stage in history, so we give you a hard time at sporting events! That'll learn ye!
To see just how much banter it actually is, take a look at the crowds at the Olympics. Were they cheering for their individual nations? Yes. Were they cheering for Team GB? Yes. Were they cheering for Anyone But England? Most definitely no.
