Brown: Petition
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Brown trying to scupper GB team
Former Scotland manager Craig Brown will launch a petition this weekend aimed at stopping a Great Britain team competing at the 2012 Olympics.
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The petition, entitled 'Save Scottish Football' will call on the Scottish Government to assess the impact its creation would have on football and the wider economy north of the border.
Opponents of a British team - who include the Scottish Football Association - fear its formation could see the Home Nations lose their individual voting rights within FIFA.
Despite assurances from senior FIFA officials this would not be the case, football's world governing body would be unable to prevent its other member countries campaigning for Britain to play as a single entity on a permanent basis.
MSP Christine Grahame, who has campaigned vigorously against the creation of a GB team, is spearheading the campaign.
She said: "The threat posed by the creation of a GB football team goes way beyond football.
"No one, bar a handful of politically-motivated zealots in London, wants a GB football team - precisely because they recognise the huge threat this poses.
"Craig Brown's petition is a welcome contribution and will give Scots the chance to let their voices be heard by MSPs.
"Documents I have obtained make it explicitly clear that any assurance offered by FIFA would not be binding on future members of the FIFA executive committee - and so the threat posed by such a precedent is real and present, regardless of what FIFA announce next week.
"It is important that all Scots, regardless of their personal or political outlook but who care passionately about the Scottish game, make their opposition known."
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Your Comments
skyblueundies (Coventry City fan)
"A wise old owl once said: get a job you grumpy old twit. If the world was filled with such negative moaning people, then we'd still be living in caves."
skyblueundies (Coventry City fan)
"A wise old owl once said: get a job you grumpy old twit. If the world was filled with such negative moaning people, then we'd still be living in caves."
shortshadyuk (Aston Villa fan)
"whats this got to do with Scottish football? which scottish footballer would make the squad? its mainly english and Welsh players, I cant think of a northern irish player who could make the team either"
lawynd (Newcastle United fan)
"I love how (non)issues like this bring the rabid nationalist brigade - whichever part of the United Kingdom they are from - out of the woodwork, as displayed expertly by the bitter post by dieu_7 (you do realise Manchester is quite a way South of Hadrian's Wall don't you?). If Scotland and Wales are really dead against coming together for an Olympics football team (bearing in mind Chris Hoy is a proud Brit) then that's fine, we're perfectly entitled to enter a team full of English players in any case. And dieu_7, if Britain really isn't that 'great' then you're more than welcome to foxtrot oscar off to another part of the globe, I'll even contribute towards your travel expenses. =)"
dieu_7 (Manchester United fan)
"Excellent. First of all there is nothing in Britain's history for which she should eb referred to as "Great" Britain will suffice". Second of all good on ya Brown, maintain your country's national dignity and respec5t and don't join with the most hated national team in Europe."
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