23 Jul 2026 21:00:09
Wow, the independent review in to the Old Firm incident at Ibrox didn't miss.
A lot to digest, but find myself agreeing with pretty much everything in it.
23 Jul 2026 21:15:45
Broxi not guilty.
23 Jul 2026 21:36:33
Where can I find it please?
23 Jul 2026 22:45:31
Thanks EHL, as just went and read it. Can't disagree with what it has found and the recommendations it makes. It will be interesting to see what the SFA and SPFL do now with this damning report at their door.
24 Jul 2026 00:35:13
Everyone involved needs to acknowledge the findings.
24 Jul 2026 00:55:02
Some of it just took away from the more serious points, crazy bringing Broxi into it, wouldn't have needed a review if the event was policed correctly. Never seen policing like it at an Old Firm game and I've been going to them since early 80s when slot more away fans were at both grounds.
24 Jul 2026 07:16:20
Has there been the same kind of strong review into the conduct of their fans at the other games, like against Motherwell, or the disgraceful scenes against Hearts, as well as the violence in Glasgow afterwards, or is their focus only on Ibrox? We need strong action taken against our morons too, but criticism of Broxi Bear and prematch music is quite pathetic to say that fans can't control themselves because of that.
How about more that Celtic sold tickets to fans groups banned from their own ground, a statement from their club saying they are against any condemnation, their manager joining in with the pitch invasion taking selfies, and immediately welcoming those fans groups back to their club in the aftermath.
24 Jul 2026 07:29:34
Kaiser, that's the kind of attitude that helps back Scottish football for years.
24 Jul 2026 07:30:08
Be interesting to see what the outcome of this rule 37 breach by both clubs is on the 13/8, and will the SFA cast their perception upon themselves while they're at it. I think not.
24 Jul 2026 08:04:12
If fans should be expected to behave at slight provocation, then surely our fans shouldn't have invaded the pitch when some Celtic fans came on. Read the report, it is long but very enlightening on what went wrong from all sides.
Agree with EHL, it is the whitabootery which continues to drag this back to the 80s.
24 Jul 2026 08:34:29
We were wrong to invade the pitch, but the findings are a complete and utter joke. Music before the game, it's the same every game over a mention of it, and to bring Broxi into it, it's a joke.
Good post, Kaiser, also.
It doesn't take us back any time, and it's plain ridiculous to suggest it does. I can't believe we have fans that actually agree with these findings when they missed so much about Celtic staff and players also.
24 Jul 2026 08:35:20
Fork, they won't take any blame whatsoever.
Angus, have we just to ignore what the Celtic manager done, etc? It's not whataboutery, it happened.
24 Jul 2026 08:50:33
Firstly let me say I'm totally for banning the Union Bears and doing what we can to get rid us of the morons who cause trouble. So i'm in complete agreement with u. However one of the problems is trouble is always just lumped together as the Old Firm problem rather than the clubs themselves. What does the Old Firm have to do with them causing trouble around other grounds so it's clear where the issue is. Absolutely hammer us for the trouble caused but at least the club condemned the action.
They came out and refused to and O'Neil is still making comments defending them. When those at the top of the club are like that why would u expect better from them? That's why they just repeated it at the other games afterwards. If those at the top of our club had said the same I'd be slaughtering them too. And don't only go after either club only at Old Firm games. Whenever there is trouble they should be punished not just blame it on Old firm.
24 Jul 2026 09:18:52
Cheers Storm, perhaps I worded things wrong, it's certainly not whataboutery but against those actually responsible and any of those who tolerated and defended it. Fans stormed the stadium and the pitch and we're seriously talking about mascots and music while their manager joins in and their board refused to condemn them for that or subsequent games.
24 Jul 2026 09:39:11
I get really fed up with hearing the 'whitabootery' term. Seems, after Tom English used it, it's the go to term to dismiss legitimate concerns. Note I'm not talking about the report here, I haven't read it, so I'm not having a go at those who have and have formed an opinion
Merely at the use of this term.
If precedents have been set, or there are equivalent examples with different outcomes, etc, then it is entirely right these are legitimate points of reference.
Having said that, yes, agree we all have to look at the wider implications to see things differently. For me, the clubs need to come together and act with some sort of unity on this, but with them both taking cheap pot shots things will just continue as is.
24 Jul 2026 10:05:40
If Rangers' "fans" had stayed in their seats, then it's all about Celtic. Unfortunately, we have idiots with no self-control who continually bring our club down. They will never learn.
24 Jul 2026 10:29:16
I never even knew Tom English had used the term. What I mean is that we need to concentrate on getting our own issues sorted. Responding with comments about their manager and everything else is actually the exact definition of the term.
Kaiser, I know their fans have misbehaved at other grounds, but I'm not concerned about what they do. I'm more interested in how we sort out our own issues. Part of the problem is that the clubs will never truly work together because they don't want to upset a section of their fan base, as that section provides a significant part of their income.
I also agree about being grouped together as the Old Firm. If there's any hope of changing things, I hope they introduce a system where clubs are held fully responsible for the behaviour of their own supporters, rather than continuing to hide behind the argument of individual fan responsibility as they do now. That would force them to take action independently and, perhaps for once, work together to address these problems.
Having read the report, it was fairly damning of the organisation and planning of the game from a Rangers perspective. We didn't even involve Celtic's Safety Officer in the planning. Instead, we used the same risk assessment and operational plan from the previous week, despite there only being 25% of the usual away support at that fixture. And that meant they weren't able to deal with the actions of that increased away support.
I also agree regarding Broxi Bear and the music. Although what happened was wrong, it has given fans a relatively minor issue to focus on while ignoring the much more significant failings that were evident throughout the planning and delivery of the event.
Both sets of supporters are just as bad as each other when it comes to this, and personally I don't want to be part of that mentality. We can't solve their problems, but we can solve our own and make sure we don't repeat the same mistakes. Good fans can, and should, be the driving force behind making that happen.
24 Jul 2026 11:06:47
Whataboutery is used as a way to minimise or deflect from responsibility, but shouldn't mean that others can't be called out for their conduct for fear of being accused of that. I want us to take responsibility and, while it is a difficult problem to solve, I feel at least our club attempted after to accept things were done wrong. Whether or not it's just token words or not, at least they are attempting to send a message and perhaps will take on board the findings.
Always lumping the 2 together allows ones just to try and excuse behaviour as it's not their fault. That is exactly what they did and resulted in the exact same issues in other games.
Whether it's Whataboutery or whatever u want to call it, there is nothing wrong with calling them out for it because the attitude of those that represent their club was to reject criticism and to defend the behaviour.
24 Jul 2026 11:36:17
Fork, I agree to an extent. Moron fans let the club down, but prematch is getting blamed too, so wouldn't be all about Celtic, and very little being said about games where no one retaliated, so would probably just have been brushed away like those games.
24 Jul 2026 11:56:59
Agree, Angus. It's just my objection to the term. Yes, there are times it's accurately used, but it's thrown about at times to dismiss legitimate comparisons etc. Bit like Trump calling everything is fake news. Wears thin after a while, but I welcome any initiatives to take the toxicity out of our game.
The authorities running the game will always be accused of favouring one side. That's why I think the clubs should lead this rather than hiding behind the issues for fear of upsetting elements of their support.
24 Jul 2026 12:00:51
Wouldn't need a review if our fans behaved themselves and stopped blaming everyone else for their unacceptable behaviour.
Total lack of accountability and huge changes needed.
The people that do this have no right to call themselves fans.
Fans want the best for the club and they don't care about the consequences on the club. It sickens me.
24 Jul 2026 12:40:37
Broste, I completely understand, but whenever I see a "yes, we did wrong, but what about X" response, I feel compelled to react.
The only way to remove toxicity from the game is by changing fan behaviour, which requires implementing strict liability.
Honestly, the most worrying parts of the report focused on organisation, planning, and punishments that fail to motivate clubs.
For instance, penalising Morton with a 50% ground closure makes no sense when they only fill 25% of their capacity anyway.
Hopefully, this review leads to wide-ranging changes that improve every aspect of the game.
24 Jul 2026 12:55:47
Appreciate your response as always, Angus, and a lot of good points. I can totally understand those saying u don't care what they do and need to fix our own house. Unfortunately, I do care what they do because it is always used to reflect on us too. Even if, and I know it's a huge if, we are able to improve our own house, they will always be put together, and they and authorities will use any excuses to share blame, as is proved by including such petty things as mascots.
Statements from our club at least attempted to accept responsibility, and gives hope (even if I'm being naive), whereas their attitude just continues to say nothing is wrong, and it damages us along with them.
24 Jul 2026 14:59:06
Kaiser! 💯
Having a review into this one match whilst ignoring others doesn't make any sense.
Main issue for me is this - Celtic FC refused Rangers tickets when we were not able to guarantee that the safety nets would be installed. Because safety was paramount.
Celtic FC banned a group of fans as they were deemed to be a menace - but gave them tickets at every other ground including ours.
Then when they get the entire stand / no safety nets? I thought safety was paramount?
Then has the audacity to ban the UB's from Parkhead.
I appreciate it's tit for tat, but these things did happen and they need to be discussed.
From our end, I'll say I like the atmosphere the UB's create and also the tifos are.
Some of the best in Europe. However, this is simple. If the club is to endorse a fans group (and they 100% endorse them), then they should dictate which songs are sung. Some of the songs they sing are not fit for the 21st Century.
Also anyone wearing a face covering like a balaclava should be ejected immediately. Not wanting to show your face suggests you have bad/illegal intentions. If you need to cover your face to watch a game of football then you shouldn't be there.
24 Jul 2026 15:51:43
Fair point, Zikos, about the UB's. Personally I'd rather do without them, but if we are to keep them for what they bring it should still be under Rangers control. We should be responsible for any group we allow in to the ground. Rangers should set the demands, not the other way round. If they aren't willing to comply then get rid.
24 Jul 2026 15:53:07
We have all had our say on our sets of fans and how they shouldn't have been on the pitch. We have done that to death so that's why we are talking about them now.
The SFA and the police are to blame also, but they won't hold their hands up; only club/people that have done is RFC.
24 Jul 2026 16:00:20
Kaiser, as always, I hope you realise my points aren't aimed as you but more the support in general. I know from past chats that we hold similar, if not exactly the same views, on things and use your posts as an opportunity to bounce my views off rather than argue against them; well not all the time anyway.
Zikos, I think from what I read the review is looking at the broader picture through the lens of this 1 game. They mention the wearing of face coverings and the need to enforce against them.
It covers how these fans are savvy to the security measures. Also making punishments fit as an incentive for clubs to do something. I think the 500 suspended fan ban both the OF got is the perfect example of that.
So hopefully it does lead to changes being made which will affect every game where fans misbehave in future and punish clubs sufficiently to make them want to take action.
24 Jul 2026 16:41:05
All good bud, never took it any other way and totally get where your coming from too.