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ROOKIE police are being taught sectarian songs – so they know who to arrest at Sunday’s Old Firm match.

Officers who have never policed the fixture have learnt the words to hate-filled anthems such as Billy Boys and the Ibrox Disaster Song after their bosses vowed that any bigoted behaviour at the League Cup semi-final would not be tolerated.

In December 2011, a list of banned songs were banned for being sectarian and fans were warned to stop belting them out.

As well as songs such as the Famine Song and Glasgow Celtic IRA, any chants which refer to dead players such as Celtic winger Johnny Doyle or Rangers legend Davie Cooper have also been outlawed.

Songs which have been deemed acceptable are The Fields of Athenry and The Soldiers’ Song, both favoured by Celtic fans, as well as Rangers fans’ anthems The Sash and The Cry is No Surrender.

The match is being screened live around the world, so police don’t want Scotland to be embarrassed by yobs singing sectarian anthems.

SONGS ALLOWED

The Sash

A song about the “Glorious Revolution” of 1688. It celebrates successes of the Protestant Crown in Irish battles against forces of the deposed Catholic King James VII of Scotland and II of England and Ireland. The lyrics are not deemed offensive in the eyes of the law.

The Fields Of Athenry

A song which refers to rebellion against the “Famine and the Crown”. A folk ballad lamenting the Irish famine of the 1840s and the harsh punishment – transportation – for petty food theft. The song would not be proscribed under the new law.

The Cry Is No Surrender

Another song about William and Mary’s accession to the throne of Scotland, England and Ireland. It commemorates the Siege of Derry in 1689 during the Williamite War in Ireland. Again, it would not be proscribed under any new legislation.

The Soldiers’ Song

The national anthem of the Republic of Ireland. Allowed under the legislation the same way Flower Of Scotland would be allowed.

SONGS BANNED

Billy Boys

This song originated in the 1920s and celebrates the “Brigton” (Bridgeton, Glasgow) Protestant gang led by Billy Fullerton who often clashed with Catholic gangs. Lyrics such as “Up to our knees in F****n blood” mean it is classed as offensive.

Glasgow Celtic IRA

A chant which is offensive because of its terrorist reference. Celtic have said numerous times that there is no place for IRA references among the Celtic support.

The Famine Song

A chant which gloats about the Irish Famine of the 1840s. Proscribed as not only sectarian but also racist since it contains the lyrics “Why Don’t You Go Home?”

Ibrox Disaster Song

Offensive for obvious reasons.

Songs about deceased players

Various versions of sick and offensive songs have done the rounds with yobs singing about the death of Celtic winger Johnny Doyle, Rangers legend Davie Cooper and Dunfermline’s Norrie McCathie.

JURY’S OUT

The Boys Of The Old Brigade

The song is a pro-IRA anthem relating to the Irish War of Independence. Some Celtic fans claim it is not sectarian but the BBC refused to apologise for branding it as sectarian.

Follow Follow

The correct lyrics of this song would not be deemed offensive under the law. But the corrupted version includes “F*** the Pope and the Vatican”.

The Merry Ploughboy

This song includes references to joining the IRA and Ireland’s struggle for freedom.

The IRA referred to are the early 20th century version and not the late 20th century terrorist group.

It was banned on TV for many years in the Republic of Ireland because of a line changed by many to say “the land De Valera sold”, interpreted as a reference to Ulster.

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