I know it’s like asking some folk to moonwalk on a unicycle while doing handstands at an ice rink, but let’s try, just for a moment, to imagine that football doesn’t exist.
Imagine if the violence in Glasgow hadn’t been between feral scumbags who support Rangers and Celtic.
Imagine, instead, that the disorder was laid at the door of some other sector of society, some other special interest group.
Imagine if the mobs were linked to a political party, or church. What would we say then? How might we view the church or political party?
Imagine the disorder was carried out by music fans – kids going to gigs. How might we discuss the bands and the venues? You’ll know, if you’re old enough to remember the days of Mods and Rockers, or Punks and Skinheads.
Read more from Neil Mackay
Imagine goth gangs running amok (hard, I know). What would our commentariat and politicians call for then?
Let’s take the thought experiment to the extremes and imagine that violent disorder was triggered by opera fans, coked to the eyeballs, and on the rampage over The Magic Flute.
How might the next performance of Mozart by Scottish Opera be discussed?
Football always gets a free pass though, doesn’t it? And the reason for the free pass is usually courtesy of the most condescending, toffy-nosed poseurs in Scottish society.
Any pop at football fans is "anti-working class", we’re told – by folk who know more about the inside of wine bars than ordinary people’s lives.
I grew up working-class, my wider family remains working-class. So believe me: staging running battles through the city centre, terrorising citizens and attacking police isn’t a working-class........