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The Billy Boys is a loyalist song from Glasgow and Belfast, sung to the tune of Marching Through Georgia.^[1] It originated in the 1930s as the signature song of a street gang led by Billy Fullerton^[2] and later reflected the long running sectarian divide in the city. It is associated in particular with Rangers football club and Linfield F.C., though variants are sung by fans of many other British clubs. It has been a popular song among some Rangers and Linfield fans and has been sung by sections of their fans at many matches.

The song is at the centre of the controversy surrounding "Ninety-minute Bigots"—an expression allegedly coined by Rangers chairman Sir David Murray—among Rangers fans. "Ninety-minute Bigots do not hold sectarian beliefs but none the less sing songs at football matches which are sectarian, simply to join in with the rest of the crowd."^{[citation needed]} Rangers have adopted several measures to tackle this behaviour with Murray speaking out against it on many occasions.

In June 2006, Rangers were ordered by UEFA to make a public announcement at all home games, prohibiting the singing of the song.^[3] This is one of a number of directives aimed at stamping out sectarianism.

Many football fans around the UK also sing a version of this song for their own clubs, with their local rivals cast as the enemy. Many are unaware of the sectarian origins of the song. Some of these versions are given below.

Contents 1 Background 2 Lyric 3 Local versions in England 4 References

The term 'Billy Boys' is usually assumed to refer to "King Billy" (William III of England), but has its origins in the 1920s, as the signature tune of a Protestant street gang led by Fullerton during a time of upsurge in gang membership and violent crime in Glasgow. The "Billy Boys" often had fights with Catholic gangs such as the "Norman Conks". Fullerton was a former member of the British Fascisti, and was awarded a medal for strike-breaking during the 1926 General Strike.^[4]

The song's geographic roots relate to Bridgeton Cross in Bridgeton, an area of Glasgow historically associated with the city's Protestant population, and with Loyalism. "Brigton" is the old Scots form of Bridgeton. "Fenian" in the context of this song is understood by some to refer to Irish republicans, and by others to all Irish Roman Catholics—the BBC website describes it as an "anti-Roman Catholic song".^[5] The highly controversial song remains popular among loyalists today particularly with some supporters of Glasgow Rangers.

Billy Boys is the title of book on the history of Orangeism in Scotland.^[6] It is also the title of a painting by Jack Vettriano, although in this case the painting has no obvious connection with the song or loyalism.^[7]

Hullo, Hullo

We are the Billy Boys

Hullo, Hullo

You'll know us by our noise

We're up to our knees in Fenian blood

Surrender or you'll die

For we are

The Brigton Derry Boys

In the final line the word "Brigton" is often substituted for the name of the singer's hometown/estate. Example, "Govan Proddy Boys"

The lyrics are also heard in football grounds across England. For example, Sheffield Wednesday F.C. fans sing:

Hello, Hello

We are the Wednesday Boys

Hello, Hello

We are the Wednesday Boys

And if you are a United fan

Surrender or you die

Cos we all follow the Wednesday

Fans may also substitute the name of their town or estate in the second and fourth lines. For example, Q.P.R. fans from the White City Estate sing these lines as

We are the White City boys

or they use

For we are the Billy, Billy boys.

Manchester United fans use the line

We are the Busby Boys

here, in honour of their legendary former manager Sir Matt Busby.

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