Andy Murray is Scottish

Andy Murray is Scottish. He is also British. Anyone who objects to the Sportsman identifying himself as Scottish first needs to take a long hard look at themselves. Britain is not a country. It is a union of countries ruled by the same Monarch and government. I am from England. I am also from Britain.

The fact that we are a union of countries is at its clearest when it comes to sporting events. I think it's wonderful that we have a team GB representing us in sports like athletics and even F1. But. When it comes to Football and Rugby us four nations have always been very separate. If England are playing anything I am an England fan. If England happen to not be in a competition but one of my neighbours is, then I will support my neighbour. Probably the one with the most Liverpool players.

You see, I'm English, I say I'm from Hitchin when I'm from Stevenage, a town I loathe. I am a Liverpool fan. When Liverpool play and I discuss the game with someone I always say 'we were...' Or 'we played...' Etc. I am proud of my town (my adopted hometown) for producing Rhodes and James Bay, I am proud of my school for producing Lewis Hamilton and Ashley Young (I lied about the Ashley Young bit...f**king Man Utd - I kicked him in the shins in a football foul when he was five, got my revenge in early). I identify myself in many ways. I live in London. London feels like home. When I lived in Paris it was my Englishness that stood out. It was London that I missed.

We all have connections like this, to family, to memories, to heritage. There is no reason to judge someone for them unless they are xenophobic and use them in a hateful way. I don't hate Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. I'm very proud to be British. But that will never mean I'm not English. However, I also identify as Irish and German due to my heritage. So I am English, Irish, German and British. And yes, British does come last in that list for me, don’t ask me why but if someone says where are you from I say I am half English, quarter Irish and quarter German, I never say British unless it’s on a form. No, wait, European comes last. I am English, Irish, German, British and European. In that order. That is how I identify myself. I’m from Hitchin (I’m not) and I live in London, I support Liverpool FC and I’m a non-believer (in a Religious sense). I am proud of all of them, except the Stevenage part…which I pretend didn’t happen.

Apparently Andy Murray is not allowed to have any affinity or connection to Scotland. I have cousins on my Irish side who always support Ireland over England despite being born in England. Or Scotland over England because of their Scottish roots. They feel a connection with their heritage. Who am I to argue with that? I’ve erased my birth town (actually my birth town was Hitchin, where the hospital was…so Stevenage NEVER happened) from my history.

Anyway, going back to Murray, let me take everyone on a trip down memory lane. Let’s go back to a time when it was an English man who we pinned our hopes on for a Wimbledon win. Remember Tim Henman? Remember Henman’s hill? Remember what flags were on display in the crowd? Do you? Do you? Well here you go, pictorial evidence.

 

Imagine if Andy Murray held up a Scottish flag a la Henman??

 

Don’t trust me? Google “Crowd watching Tim Henman Wimbledon”. Sure, there are Union jacks but look at all the England flags. But OH MY GOD! NO WAY!! DID ALEX SALMOND JUST UNRAVEL A SCOTTISH FLAG IN WIMBLEDON???

I did a Google search “Crowd watching Andy Murray Wimbledon”. I found one picture featuring a Scottish flag and in that picture they are also wrapped in a Union jack and being sneered at by the man next to them.

 

But Andy Murray is Scottish. We loved the fact that Tim Henman was English but Andy Murray is only, only allowed to be British. How very dare he be Scottish? The snobby bastard, disrespecting us Brits. We’ll go back to the pictures of Henman shall we? Oh but it is okay if he’s ENGLISH. Of course he is allowed to be ENGLISH.

This referendum was not about the Scots hating the English (although to be fair, on this conversation alone I could see why they might – see also Wales and Northern Ireland – remember those? Part of Britain they are – I say George, you say Saint, “George”…), it was about Westminster. It wasn’t personally about you or me (unless your name is David “I would be heartbroken if this family of nations that we’ve put together was torn apart” Cameron – in which case, it was a bit – quite a lot - about you – and please STOP bleating on about your heart, it’s black). I have personally spoken to several Scottish people about this referendum, by some coincidence, all the Scots I came across were yes voters. Only one had a drunken rant about England and freedom. The rest, rather wearily said they were voting yes but that it wasn’t personal or against the English, they just wanted more power. They wanted to get their country back. One man even thanked me for saying “I never assumed it was personal.” He said he has had many people have a go at him for being xenophobic. Sure, some Scotsman are racist, xenophobic, and bigoted. Some Englishman are. Some Welshman are. Some Northern Irishman are (please note when I say man I mean huMANkind, I am not exclusively referring to those with things hanging between their legs). This was about the fact that no one is happy with the power of Westminster and they had a chance to do something about it. Ask the North of England what they think, ask Wales, Northern Ireland, yourself? Are you represented by Westminster? I’m not and I live in London. You know London? As in London, England? As in that part of the Union we ALL care about and love. Right? Right? Well that’s what the media reckon, that’s what Westminster reckons.

Now I don’t believe a word Politician’s say so I would be surprised if Scotland gets what she has been promised for a No vote, I’d be even more surprised if the conversation about devolution goes further, as is currently being promised. But imagine if it does? Scotland might have helped all of us have a voice through this debate. Wow. Imagine that? No seriously, imagine that? Scotland may have achieved the unachievable and got Politicians to listen (briefly) to what people have been moaning about for years.

But let’s forget all that and just go back to the fact that HOW DARE ANDY MURRAY BE SCOTTISH WHEN HE IS BRITISH AND THEREFORE OURS. Can we not embrace him for his Scottishness? He is Scottish and British. We all get a piece of him. I’m not frightened of his pride in being Scottish or his wish for independence when it was offered to him. Would I have voted yes if I was Scottish? I don’t know. Would I vote yes if I was from the North of England? I don’t know. Because I am from the South. I am white and middle class (not really but my family is – I am poor as fuck). I live in London. You know, THE London. I cannot think like a Scotsman because I am not one. And I don’t begrudge the Scotsman for thinking like one about their country either. And I certainly don’t begrudge Andy for being a Scottish and British Sportsman, proud and emotionally connected to his hometown and his home Nation. Do you? Then why do you wave your England flag, Welsh flag, Northern Ireland flag when supporting one of your countrymen? Oh no, sorry, who am I kidding – WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND PUT THOSE FLAGS DOWN YOU ARE BRITISH DAMMIT. BRITISH. Jeez…you lot are so xenophobic.