Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

Scotsnet

Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Anyone But England

124 replies

TobyEsterhase · 06/07/2026 11:41

My social media is jam packed with Scots declaring their support for DR Congo/Mexico/Norway/ whoever England are playing next.

I find this obsession with our neighbours weird and cringeworthy.

Do you think Canadians make such an issue of supporting Anyone But USA or the Dutch supporting Anyone But Germany ?

Doubly ironic when players like Scott McTominay and Che Adams are about as Scottish as Morris Dancing.

OP posts:
PrettyLittleRose · 06/07/2026 23:14

Supporting Norway because it's geographically close-ish to Scotland is batshit. Should people along the south coast of England support France then? And people along the south east coast should support Belgium? And people on the east coast should support The Netherlands?! Confused

Weird suggestion!

Clafoutie · 06/07/2026 23:20

Isn’t it partly a result of a certain historic English arrogance? 🧐

Hellohelga · 06/07/2026 23:22

Ignore, it’s just sour grapes cos they are so crap at football.

FionasFarmyard · 06/07/2026 23:32

NewTeethNewBodNewMe · 06/07/2026 22:28

I have a close relative who lives in Scotland and is football mad. He went out to the pub to watch the Scotland matches with his Scots friends and supported them. The same doesn't work in reverse though. They aren't offering to go to the pub with him to watch England.

He's watched the England matches at home so far. He said if we get through this next round then he's going to take the train over the border and find a nice pub full of English people where he can enjoy supporting England in a less hostile environment.

I completely get this!

Jumbaree · 07/07/2026 08:29

FionasFarmyard · 06/07/2026 21:54

I remember the months leading up to the Scottish independence referendum. Awful time. Yes I did feel anti English sentiment.

‘Civic and joyous’ the nationalists will tell you! Civic and joyous my arse.

Weeellokthen · 07/07/2026 08:31

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 06/07/2026 12:24

Norway is a bit different though - some parts of Scotland are closer to Norway than England, no? And used to be part of the Danish kingdom alongside Norway, speaking Norn

That's a reach 😂

AgnesMcDoo · 07/07/2026 08:39

I’m supporting England

I hate the anti English stuff and I’m no nationalist

and it is anti English

FunnyOrca · 07/07/2026 08:40

@AnonymityAnonymity We won! 🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪

AnonymityAnonymity · 07/07/2026 08:44

I was really anxious about looking for the result this morning @FunnyOrca.
But Belgium did us proud!
Genuinely delighted at the result. And enjoying the reports of the match.

NewTeethNewBodNewMe · 07/07/2026 09:05

Clafoutie · 06/07/2026 23:20

Isn’t it partly a result of a certain historic English arrogance? 🧐

Arrogance? Do you mean cultural, financial, economic, industrial, agricultural, educational and political world dominance? Every rich and successful nation in the world which has had periods of real power got there by being fiercer, braver, stronger, shrewder, more innovative, more enlightened, more educated and more pioneering than anyone else at the time. In the case of Great Britain, we were also the nation that brought about the abolition of slavery, in the face of much opposition and at enormous cost to our own economy.

And Scotland later played its own very large part in that British empire world dominance as a result of the cultural and educational evolution of its own people. There are many highly esteemed historical figures in science and engineering, medicine and literature etc. Many Scots were plantation owners in colonised countries too. Who knows whether any of those pioneering behemoths would have existed as early as they did if the English had left the Scots alone to run around in skirts hurling spears at one another?

In the bad old dog-eat-dog days of the middle ages the only way to get ahead was to beat everyone else into submission physically and in every other respect, then take charge of their land and their resources and put your superior skills to use to make something of them.

It's no good having an abundance of natural resources if you don't know they are there or don't have the skill and the knowledge to make the best of them to build your own economy beyond subsistence farming.

I think it's pretty fair to say that all things taken in the round, we rarely left any country we colonised and exploited financially poorer and less developed than we found it. And the same can be said of the Romans after they invaded, murdered, raped, pillaged and enslaved us, then left us 400 years later with all the gifts of their vastly superior culture that put us firmly en route to greatness.

It's called civilisation. It's called enlightenment. You go to places uncivilised and you civilise them. You enlighten them. You exploit them, yes, but you civilise and enlighten them too. That has been the case since the dawn of time in exactly the same form. The Arabs did it. The Chinese did it. The Persians did it. And yes, white Europeans did it. So?

No nation or culture has been untouched by it, or unhurt by it at some point in their history, including what is now modern day Britain. Equally it can also be argued that no nation or culture that was ever colonised by a more advanced invading culture has not also benefited greatly in many ways too.

Except now what we are seeing across parts of the Africa and the middle east is a concerted programme of de-civilisation and unenlightenment.

NewTeethNewBodNewMe · 07/07/2026 09:17

Oh and let's not forget that the Moorish Africans also invaded, conquered and colonised, not just Europeans but other Africans.

MrzPotatoHead · 07/07/2026 09:21

Glasgow is Scotland's largest city and it's culturally and physically closer to Liverpool than Oslo by a massive margin.

OverlyFragrant · 07/07/2026 09:56

Namingbaba · 06/07/2026 22:42

I definitely agree that you don’t have to support England and can have favourites you like such as Norway because they’re close to Scotland and a small nation etc but it’s only choosing to support them because they’re playing England that’s the issue.

My family are like this. It was in adulthood that it dawned on me how pathetic and cringey it is. I don’t even get how it’s supposed to be funny. If it was at one point it’s boring and stale now. One family member told me a group of Scots were wearing t-shirts saying ABE (anyone but England) or something like that. That’s just cringey and if I were English I’d just roll my eyes.

English people are largely indifferent to Scotland and the team. Some wish us luck. This rivalry is just in some Scots’ heads. It makes us look small and pathetic.

We should focus on improving ourselves especially our football. Lots of small nations outperform us such as Croatia. What can we learn from them?

This is it in an nutshell....

Anyone But England
BitOutOfPractice · 07/07/2026 10:23

In my experience Scottish people “bang on” about 1966 more than English people do. They bang on about the English banging on about it but I’m not sure we do very much.

@MrsArcher23 Association Football was “invented” or rather codified in England. That’s why we say it’s “coming home” (and because that song was written for 1996 Euros that were held in, well, England).

I agree that the ABE “banter” is neither funny nor lighthearted in a lot of cases. It makes my eyes roll out of my head.

IdasFlowers · 07/07/2026 10:26

If we were wanting to boast we'd keep quiet about not having won since 66!

IdasFlowers · 07/07/2026 10:26

BitOutOfPractice · 07/07/2026 10:23

In my experience Scottish people “bang on” about 1966 more than English people do. They bang on about the English banging on about it but I’m not sure we do very much.

@MrsArcher23 Association Football was “invented” or rather codified in England. That’s why we say it’s “coming home” (and because that song was written for 1996 Euros that were held in, well, England).

I agree that the ABE “banter” is neither funny nor lighthearted in a lot of cases. It makes my eyes roll out of my head.

I agree

Ladamesansmerci · 07/07/2026 10:32

I find it bizarre 😂 I'm English, but would be supporting Scotland if they were in and we weren't. My partner is German, and I'd also support them.

Scotland are our neighbours and I'd be thrilled to see them win as we're all in the UK.

I don't get all the rivalry, but I also don't care about football generally. I only watch the world cup. It's not that deep to me. It's meant to be a fun sporting competition and honestly I'm happy for whoever wins.

BitOutOfPractice · 07/07/2026 11:26

Oh, sorry, folks, I only just noticed this is in Scotsnet! I will be in Scotland tomorrow, though, so maybe it's OK to comment!

Weeellokthen · 07/07/2026 16:56

NewTeethNewBodNewMe · 07/07/2026 09:05

Arrogance? Do you mean cultural, financial, economic, industrial, agricultural, educational and political world dominance? Every rich and successful nation in the world which has had periods of real power got there by being fiercer, braver, stronger, shrewder, more innovative, more enlightened, more educated and more pioneering than anyone else at the time. In the case of Great Britain, we were also the nation that brought about the abolition of slavery, in the face of much opposition and at enormous cost to our own economy.

And Scotland later played its own very large part in that British empire world dominance as a result of the cultural and educational evolution of its own people. There are many highly esteemed historical figures in science and engineering, medicine and literature etc. Many Scots were plantation owners in colonised countries too. Who knows whether any of those pioneering behemoths would have existed as early as they did if the English had left the Scots alone to run around in skirts hurling spears at one another?

In the bad old dog-eat-dog days of the middle ages the only way to get ahead was to beat everyone else into submission physically and in every other respect, then take charge of their land and their resources and put your superior skills to use to make something of them.

It's no good having an abundance of natural resources if you don't know they are there or don't have the skill and the knowledge to make the best of them to build your own economy beyond subsistence farming.

I think it's pretty fair to say that all things taken in the round, we rarely left any country we colonised and exploited financially poorer and less developed than we found it. And the same can be said of the Romans after they invaded, murdered, raped, pillaged and enslaved us, then left us 400 years later with all the gifts of their vastly superior culture that put us firmly en route to greatness.

It's called civilisation. It's called enlightenment. You go to places uncivilised and you civilise them. You enlighten them. You exploit them, yes, but you civilise and enlighten them too. That has been the case since the dawn of time in exactly the same form. The Arabs did it. The Chinese did it. The Persians did it. And yes, white Europeans did it. So?

No nation or culture has been untouched by it, or unhurt by it at some point in their history, including what is now modern day Britain. Equally it can also be argued that no nation or culture that was ever colonised by a more advanced invading culture has not also benefited greatly in many ways too.

Except now what we are seeing across parts of the Africa and the middle east is a concerted programme of de-civilisation and unenlightenment.

Edited

Here is the English arrogance they speak of right here 👆You lost the argument as soon you derogatarily wrote skirts 😮
Your implying that us Scots are thick as mince because we stood back and let Westminster rape our resources.
I am a unionist but comments like this nearly make me want independance from the likes of you

Jane379 · 07/07/2026 18:12

IrnBruAndDietCoke · 06/07/2026 12:20

You’d never hear “Anyone but China” in Hong Kong or Taiwan. Or “Anyone but Japan” in China. And I feel they’ve got more cause. It’s just not classy. Countries should focus on their own team and if it’s not good enough to get through they shouldn’t be shitty to other teams that are doing better.

That's true - though Hong Kong is essentially ruled by China though so anyone chanting that might be in danger. I'm sure sone would like to! To some extent, the same is true of Taiwan.

SpaceRaccoon · 07/07/2026 19:44

I find it embarrasing, divisive and unpleasant, and I hope England do very well.

BitOutOfPractice · 07/07/2026 21:01

Weeellokthen · 07/07/2026 16:56

Here is the English arrogance they speak of right here 👆You lost the argument as soon you derogatarily wrote skirts 😮
Your implying that us Scots are thick as mince because we stood back and let Westminster rape our resources.
I am a unionist but comments like this nearly make me want independance from the likes of you

I got what this poster was trying to say but boy did she say it badly. Embarrassingly badly I agree. I’m not surprised it got your goat!

Weeellokthen · 07/07/2026 21:39

BitOutOfPractice · 07/07/2026 21:01

I got what this poster was trying to say but boy did she say it badly. Embarrassingly badly I agree. I’m not surprised it got your goat!

Yeah, I got what she was very clumsily trying to say as well but some comments just stuck in my craw 😂

NewTeethNewBodNewMe · 08/07/2026 17:31

BitOutOfPractice · 07/07/2026 21:01

I got what this poster was trying to say but boy did she say it badly. Embarrassingly badly I agree. I’m not surprised it got your goat!

Okay so she was incredibly rude and disparaging about the English but an English person must remain beyond reproach in their response. Is that it?

Weeellokthen · 08/07/2026 18:51

NewTeethNewBodNewMe · 08/07/2026 17:31

Okay so she was incredibly rude and disparaging about the English but an English person must remain beyond reproach in their response. Is that it?

Where did I write anything rude or disparaging about the English. WHERE? WHEN?

Swipe left for the next trending thread