Large numbers of away supporters in games between Rangers and Celtic have been called unsafe by the police officer in charge of investigating Sunday’s Ibrox trouble, incidents described by Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, as “completely and utterly unacceptable”.
On-field clashes after Celtic’s Scottish Cup quarter-final triumph on penalties appear to have ended any hopes of traditional allocations returning to the Glasgow derby fixture on a regular basis for the foreseeable future. Celtic had about 7,500 fans inside Ibrox for the first time since 2018 and dozens spilled on to the pitch to celebrate their shootout triumph. More than 100 Rangers fans also invaded the pitch and charged towards the Broomloan Stand. Several police officers, stewards and members of the public were injured and nine arrests had been made inside 24 hours, with “significantly” more expected.
Recent away allocations have veered from about 750 to a complete absence to approximately 2,500, but Scottish Cup rules state that away clubs can claim up to 20% of tickets and a deal was reached after input from the Scottish Football Association (SFA). Ch Supt Emma Croft believes the allocation had an impact on the trouble. Asked for her opinion on why hostilities spilled over, she said: “I think euphoria from the type of win and the last-minute nature of the win. There’s the ongoing rivalry and pent-up aggression between the two sides, absolutely. Back-to-back Old Firms probably played its part.
“And for me, also, such a large away fanbase within Ibrox, which was news to many people and a new experience for many people, given the time, I think played its part, absolutely. That’s where I would welcome conversations – and realistic conversations at that – as to how the footballing experience can be matched with the safety experience.
“I would like to think we have an input, considering the big issue is the safety of all and policing has a big part to play in that. I don’t think it’s right that I say that it’s a complete ban, but what I would say is that setup is not sustainable and not safe.”
Police are investigating incidents before and after the game and inside and outside Ibrox. A number of Celtic fans without tickets broke into the stadium and graffiti left behind in the Broomloan Stand included references to the 1971 Ibrox disaster, when 66 Rangers fans died in a crush as they left an Old Firm game.
The Scottish National party’s Swinney said: “The violence after the Old Firm game yesterday at Ibrox was completely and utterly unacceptable – there is no justification for it whatsoever. There was severe danger applied to fans and to police officers and to stewards, it was completely unacceptable in every respect.”
Swinney said he hoped to work with the clubs and the SFA to try to avoid a repeat. Pyrotechnics were used by those invading the pitch, which Swinney said “exaggerates and escalates that level of danger”, and he said the government needed to work with authorities to ensure they are not brought into grounds.
Swinney’s comments came after Stuart Murphy, the chief executive of the Scottish Football Supporters Association, told BBC Radio Scotland: “I’m angry on behalf of the majority of all decent fans, who will all feel tarnished and stained by that debacle yesterday which is the only way to describe it. I was at the Old Firm Cup final 45 years ago and 45 years on, we’ve not moved on.”
After the 1980 Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park, the two sets of fans clashed on the pitch, resulting in 200 arrests and a ban on the sale of alcohol in sports grounds in Scotland.
