To wonder why so many Scottish people a thrilled when England do badly at sport?

[Jollyphonics]

I'm not bothered about the rugby at all personally, but this is irritating me. I have several Scottish friends, and their Facebook newsfeeds are full of gloating about England being knocked out of the world cup. It's a recurring theme with all sporting contests - mant Scottish people will support some random team from a country they've never heard of, if they're playing against England. I don't see the same with Wales and Ireland. Why is this? Is there that much resentment?

I knew there would be people criticising Wales for their reaction to the Wales v Australia game. That's not an 'Anyone But England' mentality - we wanted the Aussies to win because it meant we'd go through too.

I never need to watch any England matches. Unless you watch the Welsh coverage, England is all the commentators will talk about during the other Home Nations games - how their last game went, how their next game looks. The media reporting and commentating is so England-centric, it's sort of nice to see them go out because it means maybe the commentators will shut up about them I doubt it though

I'm just glad Wales are out of the pool. Welsh flags are up everywhere around my town at the moment, virtually every window :)

catfordbetty
The word Scotch can be used to describe people too. Look it up.

I don't need to look it up. I live in Scotland. Which obviously you don't.

I have meet some great Americannatives abroad and in their own country tis a shame for people to miss out on great characters with preconceived ideas - their loss though

@ catfordbetty

The word racist shite can also be used to describe people.....look it up or in the mirror

Scotch
[skoch]
Spell Syllables
adjective
1.
(used outside of Scotland) of Scottish origin; resembling or regarded as characteristic of Scotland or the Scottish people:
Scotch plaid.
2.
Sometimes Offensive. of or relating to Scotland or its inhabitants; Scottish.
3.
(usually lowercase) Informal. frugal; provident; thrifty.
noun
4.
(used with a plural verb) Sometimes Offensive. the inhabitants of Scotland; the Scots.
5.
(often lowercase) Scotch whisky.
6.
Sometimes Offensive. the English language as spoken in Scotland; Scots.
Origin Expand
1585-95; syncopated variant of Scottish
Can be confused Expand
Scot, Scotch, Scottish (see usage note at the current entry)
Usage note Expand
The natives of Scotland refer to themselves as Scots or, in the singular, Scot, Scotsman, or Scotswoman. The related adjectives are Scottish or, less commonly, Scots. Scotch as a noun or adjective is objected to by the Scots except when used of whisky and in established phrases like Scotch egg and Scotch pine. In the United States, Scotch is often used in inforrmal speech and writing where the Scots themselves, or some Americans of Scottish descent, would prefer Scottish or Scots. The term Scotch-Irish is standard in the United States for the descendants of the Scots of Ulster who immigrated to America beginning in the 18th century.

Could scotch this once and for all dictionary.reference.com/browse/scotch

or was the main aim to continue in the same diplomatic vein Catford?

I was hoping they'd do well; bit rubbish for them as the host nation.

I'm mostly getting football loving friends moan how much rugby isn't a real sport and only good actors real men play football!

No one I know thinks like that. Football is a game played by overgrown schoolboys who cry like babies if they fall over and pretend to be hurt if another player comes anywhere near. Rugger players just get on with the game, in general.

The few Scots I know are poor sports in life as well as rugger.

What others have said, arrogance, from the media mainly, that every one in the UK are only tuning in for England, be it rugby or football.
Its all they talk about. Every other team is an after thought.

Irish person here - most of the country will happily support anyone against England. Considering the history between the two countries, are you really surprised?

The few Scots I know are poor sports in life as well as rugger

Good try, Mythical

I can understand a Welsh people wanting an Australian win because it directly benefitted them.

Most of my friends don't do the hating the English thing but one acquaintance (Irish) always does on FB and it makes her look like a massive twat.

Dh is English and he didn't particularly want England to win.

Something about toffs?

Jeezo is this the weekly bash the scots thread. Fuck sakes

Jeezo is this the weekly bash the scots thread.

Nah. Is the weekly bash the Scotch thread...

More like daily stoorie :( For a country that is only 8% of the population of the UK, people really seem to get their kickers in a twist. I guess if they are talking about us then they are leaving everyone else alone!

I think it's because sport is somehow connected to the human instinct to fight and do physical battle against other 'tribes'. We don't do as much of that any more but I think sport is a replacement for it. And because historically countries like Scotland, Ireland were somehow 'conquered' by England on the battlefield, seeing England roundly beaten on the sports field is cathartic on a tribal level.

Im guessing it's something like that, but I dont know! I am not into any team sports myself. But I have an Irish colleague who has been utterly gleeful at England's defeat and frankly admits she hates the English rugby side though has nothing against the English in real life!

riverboat- agree with your analysis.

The supposedly British media so openly support England ahead of the other UK countries that when they fail to qualify and other countries seen as "also rans" do it does lead to some gloating. Most of it is light hearted though and I agree with posters saying it's more like sibling rivalry.
We're in Scotland and my husband's facebook was full of comments like
"Rolf Harris 10, Jimmy Saville 3" part way through the match and comments about Waltzing Matilda being played on the pub jukebox.
The Scots lost their match yesterday too but that didn't register much on the media radar and when they exit there won't be this hysterical nonsense and hand wringing. It'll be in small print somewhere and might make one sentence in the BBC news.

*'jezo is this the weekly bash the scots thread. Fuck sakes'

And there you have it. It's all 'banter' when it's rip the piss out of the English. < can dish it but can't take it> grin*

Sorry I seem to have missed the regular threads on here by the scots with sweeping statements about the English.

Well, you simply need to know a bit about British history, OP, and the way that the English repressed the Scots and the Welsh. Memories are long. It's only 100 or so years ago that schoolchildren in Wales were beaten for speaking Welsh and forced to wear a board around their neck reading "Welsh Not".

There's an added edge when it comes to rugby because traditionally rugby in England has been played by the upper classes and in Wales it's been played by the working classes. So there's a definite tinge of class hatred to add to the nationalistic sentiment. (And it cuts both ways, if you've ever heard the way that posh English rugby types talk about the Welsh and, for all I know, the Scots.)

The feeling isn't nearly as strong when it comes to football and cricket. People don't really care that much, in my experience.

hackmum- similar experience in Scotland. The Scots language in Scotland was banned and punishable under English rule.

Have to say cricket is of no interest to most Scots. Akin to Morris dancing.