Rangers fans rioting in Manchester ( merged )

[shaun.lawson]

The "Reverend Dactir" is really quite a personable gentleman, and a very good constituency MP (he's represented North Antrim where I grew up for all my life). It's just that his politics suck! Mind you, to be fair to him, I'm actually quite sorry his double act with the Provo is coming to an end because they have worked well together.

 

Yes. Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, AKA The Chuckle Brothers. Who'd've thunk it?

 

Out of interest, what led you to emigrate down under? Must be a toughie missing Hearts games so often (though, on second thoughts, it's probably a blessing given our current state...)

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

I honestly can't believe that the Scottish based publications are letting Rangers off so lightly, although I can believe that the Holyrood numptocracy are wringing their hands (as for Murdo Fraser, ).

 

Rangers, rightly, stand condemned but it's also an indictment on Scottish society because the results of fecklessness in the 'schemie' bits of Glasgow and beyond were put on public display. In fact, it was ironic that this occurred in Manchester because it was "Shameless" writ large!

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Yes. Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, AKA The Chuckle Brothers. Who'd've thunk it?

 

Out of interest, what led you to emigrate down under? Must be a toughie missing Hearts games so often (though, on second thoughts, it's probably a blessing given our current state...)

 

The usual stuff - change of lifestyle, education for the kids etc. etc.

[teepee]

Martin Bain, the chief executive, said: "Those scenes are dreadful and I've seen them myself and we have been informed that those scenes were caused by supporters that don't normally attach themselves to our support."

 

well there we go, couldn't have possibly have been those lovely cheeky chappies from govan.............give me strength!!

[shaun.lawson]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/fiver/0,,415657,00.html

 

FEEBLE O'RANGERS FANS' EXCUSES No529: THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN QUEEN'S CELTIC FANS IN DISGUISE

 

When the Fiver sat down to watch The Apprentice with some friends last night, pressed the button on its TV remote control and nothing happened, things got predictably ugly. As our houseboy tried to plug in the telly, we pelted him and the screen with empty beer bottles, then set about thrashing the vomit-drenched living room, leaving it full of broken furniture, smashed glass, crumpled beer cans and a bruised and bleeding policeman out of whom we'd kicked 17 bells. It was a typically uneventful Wedneday night in.

 

Article continues

By sheer coincidence, similar scenes were unfolding elsewhere in the country at the same time and today it was announced that a full inquiry has been launched to try and figure out what on earth might have prompted HUNDREDS OF KNUCKLEHEADED POPE'S O'RANGERS FAN'S WHO'D SPENT ALL DAY YESTERDAY DRINKING to run amok in terrifying scenes of booze-fuelled savagery not witnessed in Manchester city centre since closing time last Saturday night.

 

While the Pope's O'Rangers footballers may not have risked going on the attack last night, their supporters more than made up for them. The outcome? One stabbing, 42 arrests and the brutal beating of a lone policeman by a gang of at least 30 brave O'Rangers fans (another copper was hit so hard his electronic earpiece had to be removed from his head by doctors, while a third had several teeth knocked out by a Glasgow kiss). "A minority of thugs have overshadowed what should have been a great occasion," said assistant chief constable Justine Curran of Greater Manchester police, who wasn't talking about the four centre-halves Walter Smith played across the back.

 

Although prime minister Gordon Brown was among those who echoed her sentiments, one man who was neither "sickened" nor "disappointed" was Uefa mouthpiece William Gaillard. "I can't believe that any other city would have done anything better," he whooped. Here's hoping Moscow's baton-happy riot police aren't given any reasons to set him straight next week.

 

[Legend Claws]

I like the forthright comments from both Brown and Salmond, no hiding there. Question is what are they going to do about it?

[Stuart Lyon]

Also relevant to the situation in general in Glasgow

 

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/latestnews/Ambulance-callouts-soar-on-Old.4090808.jp

 

No surprise is it?

[Francis Albert]

I suppose it is only to be expected that son of the manse Gordon should leap to the demon drink as the core of the problem. Obviously it contributes but Celtic fans in Lisbon and Hearts fans in Bordeaux were I am sure just as drunk as Rangers fans in Manchester. And the mobs shown in the video clips didn't strike me as being the ones out of their minds on drink but quite in control of what they were doing and such faculties as they possess.

[merseyjambo]

Gorgie Ultra - See my post about 4 pages back about what happened. The fact that vermin bottled and bricke officers who were trying to get to a man who appeared unconcious, please justify that. Having worked numerous football matches, the only time we've had to get involved to separate fighting was Man U/Roma over a year ago.

 

However the next time you are in Manchester, feel free to look me up and I'll get 20 of my fellow officers get drunk, stand round you, spit on you, kick at you, throw punches at you, urinate on you, tell you they are going to rape your wife and children and see how you react.

 

As far as the police being underprepared. To a certain degree yes. A majority of those that weren't working were brought in on duty, however short of setting up cordons on the outskirts of the city centre, how do you stop over 100,000 people entering a city and stop them getting drunk. When Rangers got there, fans without tickets were told not to travel. Strathclyde police and the media told GMP they were having a laugh if they didn't expect people to travel, so GMP and Manchester City Council tried their best to accomodate those travelling without tickets.

 

No matter if this had been held in another city in the UK, there would have been the same result.

 

GMP is the second biggest force in the UK with 8000 officers. Unfortunately like anywhere else, its a business. To have drafted other officers in from other parts of the country would have come from their budget meaning they would have to cut costs elsewhere. Theres no govt pot to pay for something like this unlike the G8. They did also try and be for the large part hands off and let a lot that had happened earlier in the day slide as arresting people takes officers of the street for at least 2 hours.

[Tams bird]

I know it won't make a huge difference to their finances but is it time that fans of the other SPL clubs start to boycott games at Ibrox/Parkhead until the SFA/UEFA do something about all the disgusting things that go on amongst their fans?

 

I have already started my boycott , 3 years ago....

[Tane]

A humerous yet accurate take on the events:

 

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/rangers-now-the-england-of-scotland-20080516956/

[crazy_jambo_2006]

I am not a Rangers lover. I detest them and I detest that people think just because we follow Hearts, we are in some way connected with Rangers. Usually, I am the first to criticise their fans (for being jakeys, for wearing England tops etc etc).

 

But 2 things:

 

i) Fair play to those Rangers fans, who went to Parkhead to respectfully pay tribute to Tommy Burns.

 

ii) If there were 100,000 fans in Manchester and only 40+ arrests, that's not an awful amount. I would imagine police could've arrested more. I would say there should've been more police about, if they knew in advance that 100,000 Gers fans (many of whom are drunken jakeys) would be rocking up in Manchester for the game.

 

I am not a Rangers sympathiser. That video of the ned tripping the policeman and everyone then battering him was appalling. It will be shown world-wide and people will think any Scottish fan is like that.

[vegas-voss]

Martin Bain - I have been informed that the people that caused all the trouble were people who do not normally attach themselves to the club.

 

What a ****ing dick so no blame on the Rangers fans eh Martin.

[Dagger Is Back]

I am not a Rangers lover. I detest them and I detest that people think just because we follow Hearts, we are in some way connected with Rangers. Usually, I am the first to criticise their fans (for being jakeys, for wearing England tops etc etc).

 

But 2 things:

 

i) Fair play to those Rangers fans, who went to Parkhead to respectfully pay tribute to Tommy Burns.

 

ii) If there were 100,000 fans in Manchester and only 40+ arrests, that's not an awful amount. I would imagine police could've arrested more. I would say there should've been more police about, if they knew in advance that 100,000 Gers fans (many of whom are drunken jakeys) would be rocking up in Manchester for the game.

 

I am not a Rangers sympathiser. That video of the ned tripping the policeman and everyone then battering him was appalling. It will be shown world-wide and people will think any Scottish fan is like that.

 

 

Point 1 agreed - it's at timeslike these that you think there is some hope for our country

Point 2 - only 40 arrests so that's not so bad. You're right there would have been more. The amount of arrests bears no correlation to the amount of trouble. Police let lots of things slide during the day so as not to cause bother. We've had one guy getting stabbed, police attacked, cars wrecked, windows put in, fighting and you say 40 arrests ain't bad. This was thousands of thugs being involved in a riot.

 

Tell you what, if that had happened at a game we were involved in we'd be on here screaming blue murder.

 

The SFA should take the lead here and take action to how the world that we won't tolerate this kind of behaviour.

[Erik]

IIt will be shown world-wide and people will think any Scottish fan is like that.

 

I disagree.

 

Lets wait and see what kinda welcome / reception Motherwell get when they start their European adventure.

 

My bet is that the vast majority of countries will still welcome the decent, humane, well behaved SCOTTISH teams with open arms.

 

This is a Rangers problem. Not a Scottish problem.

[Big D]

The clip of Martin Bain was disgusting. His whole facial expression was one of "I'm lying through my backteeth, but I'm Rangers and you'll accept it." If the Club continues to condone this behaviour, and the now unacceptable songs; how on earth do they expect to change the behaviour of the sizeable minority of detritis that go to Ibrox, let alone the camp followers that attend away games.

[micole]

You have got to hear this, one of the guys in my work has just returned from Manchester and said the reason for the riots was, wait for it, that a 75 year old woman was assaulted by the police and the Rangers fans went to help her and this started a fight between them and the police, so there you have it Rangers fans a really knights in shining armour and the polis are the dasterdly evil ones.

[Wolfstar]

You have got to hear this, one of the guys in my work has just returned from Manchester and said the reason for the riots was, wait for it, that a 75 year old woman was assaulted by the police and the Rangers fans went to help her and this started a fight between them and the police, so there you have it Rangers fans a really knights in shining armour and the polis are the dasterdly evil ones.

 

That is a peech, you can just see the police

 

"look there is an elderly woman, lets attack her to kick this off"

It started because the TV went off and the rangers fans took the anger out on Manchester.

Did a Repair man not go on stage to try and fix the problem but bottles were thown at him.

[Jammy T]

This - the police started it nonsense?

 

Do the huns think the world is as thick as their entire support

 

Every shot I have seen of the police / fans scuffles has the police outnumbered by around 5 to 10 - 1. AT LEAST

 

So despite all the footage that suggests otherwise, despite everyone in scotland not Rangers affiliated knowing what **** is within their support, what kind of deathwish could the police have to start a rammy with the potential of being turned on by 100000 people?

[busby1985]

All the poeple i know that were in manchester knew it was going to kick off, they said from the very first moment they got to the fanzone's around 11.30am they could tell as Rangers fans were fighting amounst themselves regarding singing bigoted songs i.e. some fans booing the sash, rule Britiana, no pope of rome etc and also about offensive flags and slogans on tops like "Nakamura 8 my dug". Apperently the two old boys fighting in the street, that was on the telly, was about Rangers proud Brititish history!!

 

Mind you the police prob told those boy's to start fighting so they could get right in about that old burd!!

 

****.

[The xx]

Martin Bain - I have been informed that the people that caused all the trouble were people who do not normally attach themselves to the club.

 

What a ****ing dick so no blame on the Rangers fans eh Martin.

 

I know, absolutely ridiculous! Well it looked to me as if they were wearing Rangers shirts Martin...must have been the Partick fans that just happened to be on holiday in Manchester at the same time as the UEFA Cup final.

 

Does he think we are stupid?

 

In anothe of his comments he stops short of blaming the screen for the violence saying that they should have had a back-up feed. Fair enough but if my tv stops working before a game I don't start smashing my house up.

[The xx]

Did anyone see the Channel4 news report? Its the best one I've seen so far (and yes it shows them fighting amongst themselves) but look out for the guy almost crying asking 'what's going on Manchester?!'

 

Hilarious!

 

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/sports/manchester+police+defend+reaction/2200647

[jambovambo]

I know, absolutely ridiculous! Well it looked to me as if they were wearing Rangers shirts Martin...must have been the Partick fans that just happened to be on holiday in Manchester at the same time as the UEFA Cup final.

 

Does he think we are stupid?

 

In anothe of his comments he stops short of blaming the screen for the violence saying that they should have had a back-up feed. Fair enough but if my tv stops working before a game I don't start smashing my house up.

 

Aye and Rangers were happy enough to take their cut of these people's shirt sales ...

 

Martin Bain ... would you lend him a fiver ? I don't think so.

[Scallywag]

Just read the Daily Record online to see what there opinions were.

 

Suprise Suprise, two articles both claiming police brutality.

 

Classic comments like "small group of fans" and "the ones fighting seemed to have English and Northern Irish accents".

 

Lets brush it under the carpet and hope UEFA forget about it...pathetic !

[billco98]

The following is from today's BBC News site.

 

Murray and Gordhun Smith had better get real on this and fast. There may have been infiltrators but the hardcore trouble makers must be part of the 'Loyal Huin support.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7404185.stm

 

 

Pc describes Uefa fan mob attack

 

"I know they will say it's a minority but a few thousand is a big minority."

 

A police officer says he was lucky to escape serious injury after he was set upon by a mob of Rangers fans.

 

Pc Mick Regan was kicked, punched and stamped on when he slipped helping a colleague get away from bottle-hurling fans in Manchester city centre.

 

He said the scenes after Rangers' Uefa Cup final defeat were the worst he had witnessed in 23 years with the force.

 

The 47-year-old revealed he was only saved by two Rangers fans who dragged him away from the mob.

 

The former Territorial Army soldier's ordeal was captured by police cameras following the violence which started after Wednesday's match.

 

Trouble first flared in Piccadilly Gardens after a technical fault with a big screen left up to 20,000 fans frustrated.

 

Riot police were sent in as violent clashes broke out along nearby Market Street, Oldham Street and Newton Street.

 

Pc Regan, from Offerton, Stockport, was on duty for public order and not riot control, but said he sensed the mood was darkening as he listened to the police radio on the way in to the city.

 

"From the outset we were bombarded with bottles and cans as we tried to contain and disperse the crowd," he said.

 

"It was unbelievable when we got there - it was already in motion. It was frightening, on a different scale from any other match I have worked in my 23-year career."

 

As the trouble wore on Pc Regan and a handful of colleagues found themselves being pushed down Newton Street by a mass of fans hurling bottles.

 

The officer said he got into trouble after being hit by a bottle from a distance of about four feet which struck his elbow.

 

Pc Regan said: "I remember moving backwards to try and avoid being hit again but next thing I was on the floor.

 

"I could feel the crowd kicking me in the side but my body armour was protecting me. I could see their feet in front of me even though my head was on the floor.

 

"I managed to get up but I'd lost my baton and had nothing to defend myself with.

 

"I started to try and run - I'm a fit lad and I do marathons but I think I must have been winded because I couldn't run properly even though I knew I was being followed by the mob."

 

Pc Regan, a former Territorial Army soldier, escaped with sore ribs and a puncture wound to his arm.

 

But he said if it had not been for a Good Samaritan who pulled him away from the melee he would have been more seriously injured.

 

'Big minority'

 

He said: "I saw two lads coming from my right; I thought they were going to have a go.

 

"But one of them shouted at me saying, 'I'm British Army, I'm a medic'. He grabbed me by the collar and he propelled me up the street.

 

"If they had not come along at that point I'd have been in big trouble. I'd have been seriously injured. I knew I was going to get done over.

 

"I feel lucky; whoever that army lad was, he wants a medal."

 

But despite the widespread condemnation of the Rangers fans, Pc Regan added: "I can't tar them all with the same brush.

 

"The fans we met at the rendezvous point who were coming away from the stadium were as good as gold but the people who were kicking off were drunk and out for trouble.

 

"I know they will say it's a minority but a few thousand is a big minority."

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

[Rudolf's Mate]

If what the west coast journos are saying is true then it's a small minority of people who just happened to pop up in different places last night.

 

What Bain is saying is partly true if you read between the lines. He was making out that the people who caused the trouble had probably never supported Rankgers. Considering that Ibrox only holds about 60k then I guess he is right as there is no way that the other 90 or so thousand would be able to fit in meaning it's not mathematically possible for them to have supported the club by attending games!!!

 

What a plonker!

[bean counter]

Like everyone else I am disgusted by what happened in Manchester.

The GMP initially said if you don’t have a ticket don’t travel, we were then treated to a chorus of politicians\celebrities who all told us that it would be a carnival atmosphere and that rangers fans were representing Scotland and Scottish fans were always made welcome and always behaved themselves ( Alex Salmond included ) however I am appalled by what has\has not happened since.

Martin Bain

If you can make the statement that the people involved were not normally associated with Rangers you must know who they are please supply all their names and addresses to the GMP.

You go on to say “ therefore we will do everything we can to help” ................. Does this mean that had they been associated with the club you would not have helped and that RFC are only helping because the rioters are ( in your eyes ) not associated with the rangers?

Gordon Smith

As the head of Scottish Football where is your condemnation of these so called fans ? You are quick enough to appear on our screens and in our papers to spout forth on other more trivial occasions where are you with your leadership now.

David Murray

You must now bite the bullet and make a clear statement condemning what went on and stating that because of the action of these rangers fans they have brought disgrace to your club, the city of Glasgow and Scotland as a nation, and that you want them to stop supporting your club.

The Scottish Media

Instead of playing down and covering up these type of events you should have been highlighting each and every occasion that this has happened this season and in the past then just maybe something could have been done before now .

Some people in the UK and worldwide will be able to differentiate between rangers supporters and ordinary Scottish football fans however many will just report it as Scottish football fans rioting.

As someone who has followed Hearts abroad several times I’ve always been well received by the locals wherever we’ve been and I just hope that this incident will not jeopardise that in the future.

[269miles]

On 5Live this morning about 07.30 a bloke was being interviewed regarding issues associated with football generally , it wasn't Rangers specific.

 

After a bit of chit chat with Nicky Campbell he then mentioned that GMP were dressed in riot gear. He questioned this and went on to say that even in Glasgow for OF games the police don't wear riot gear !!

So there you have it : police (dealing with what looked like a riot to me) were exacerbating the problem by dressing in riot gear.

 

You couldn't make this up.

[Seymour M Hersh]

On 5Live this morning about 07.30 a bloke was being interviewed regarding issues associated with football generally , it wasn't Rangers specific.

 

After a bit of chit chat with Nicky Campbell he then mentioned that GMP were dressed in riot gear. He questioned this and went on to say that even in Glasgow for OF games the police don't wear riot gear !!

So there you have it : police (dealing with what looked like a riot to me) were exacerbating the problem by dressing in riot gear.

 

You couldn't make this up.

 

But they are making it up! All the west coast media, politicians and any other OF apologist can't get in front of a microphone/camera quick enough to deflect the blame. England has different policing rules so if they want to have riot cops on stand-by then that's entirely their choice. Would Campbell have used this spurious excuse had it been in Paris and the CRS had been involved? My father in law is an ex weejie policeman of a blue persuasion but on Sunday he said that in all the OF games he policed (in the bad old days of 70's/80's including the infamous Hampden riot) there was only serious trouble when Rangers got beat. Seems little has changed in the mindset of the Orcs!

[thee jambo]

A humerous yet accurate take on the events:

 

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/rangers-now-the-england-of-scotland-20080516956/

 

Try this one.

 

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/scotland-dies-laughing-20071121549/

[boabyarsebiscuit]

As someone who has followed Hearts abroad several times I?ve always been well received by the locals wherever we?ve been and I just hope that this incident will not jeopardise that in the future.

 

Don't worry. Vlad has taken care of it by ensuring we won't qualify for Europe in the next decade!

[Sherlock]

A club with a poison at its core

 

Utterly predictably, the fate of Rangers is once again to find excitement on the field marred by loutishness and delinquency off it. Losing the Uefa Cup final in Manchester on Wednesday night was no disgrace for Walter Smith or his team, whose very presence at the game was a triumph in itself. Beyond the stadium, however, before and after the match, events told their own story of how accursed Rangers remain as a club.

 

Willie Waddell, a memorable Rangers manager of the early 1970s, whose team brought the 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup back to Glasgow, once aimed the following simmering words in the direction of his club’s supporters: “It is to these tikes, hooligans, louts and drunkards that I pinpoint my message. It is because of your gutter-rat behaviour that we are being publicly tarred and feathered like this.”

 

After that European triumph of 36 years ago, Rangers were banned by Uefa for the rioting of their fans, causing Waddell to implode with rage. The blight of Rangers - defined by loutish behaviour and bigoted chanting among groups of supporters – is proving a durable social poison. Here we are four decades on, still lamenting the seemingly endemic way in which these supporters behave like primitives.

 

The chaotic scenes in Manchester on Wednesday night - a Zenit fan stabbed, rioting Rangers fans, and 15 policemen getting injured - were frightening to behold. Moreover, the footage released yesterday and shown on Sky News, of hundreds of Rangers fans charging at police and setting upon one who stumbled to the ground, will make the already weary Ibrox hierarchy cringe.

 

Rangers have a repeated get-out for these episodes: the script always says this is “just a small minority” of fans. Moreover, as incident upon incident passes with the club’s supporters - at Villarreal in 2006, in Pamplona in 2007 and now in Manchester in 2008 - it is always “heavy-handed policing” and not the Rangers fans themselves who are said to be the blame.

 

Well, this is no small minority of Rangers supporters, and nor are the Greater Manchester Police renowned for their truncheon-wielding brutality. Instead, this is a football club with a poison somewhere at its core.

 

Such scenes will enrage those legions of decent Rangers supporters who love their club and follow it with impressive ardour. The postmatch eruptions were all the more depressing on Wednesday because the vast Rangers support gathered inside the City of Manchester Stadium had created a brilliant spectacle of colour and noise, including many who stayed on to applaud the Zenit St Petersburg players on their 2-0 triumph.

 

Other aspects, however, were familiarly ugly. During the day before the match, and certainly in the drunken aftermath, there was too much evidence of the sort of primitivism that enraged Waddell 36 years ago. In particular, bigoted or sectarian chanting remains an excruciating pastime for too many Rangers supporters, despite repeated pleas by the club to give these anthems a rest. For two days in Manchester, if you were based in the city centre as I was, you woke up to these dirges in the morning and you went to sleep to them at night.

 

Since being punished by Uefa two years ago for such antics by their supporters, Rangers have hired PR people, as well as Kenny Scott, a seasoned and former high-ranking Glasgow policeman, to try to gouge out the social disease which has clamped itself to the club. Scott, in particular, knew very well the inherent dangers of 100,000 Rangers fans descending upon Manchester for the Uefa Cup final.

 

The downside of Rangers reaching such a prestigious game in as close an area as the north of England was that it was an open invitation for the club’s less impressive followers to display their capacity for drinking, aggression, and sectarian abuse. I would go so far as to say that Scott, as head of security at Rangers, will have been cringeing at the very prospect from the moment the club qualified for the final.

 

Some spoke yesterday of another Uefa investigation of Rangers, but this surely won’t occur. It is almost impossible for Uefa, however much they care about the image of football, to weigh in on such affairs as public disorder in the city centres of Britain.

 

But who has the answer to this blight? Can anyone offer Rangers a cure for this ugly delinquency which afflicts a sizeable group of their supporters?

 

Until that cure is found, the once-proud name of Rangers FC will always trigger thoughts of yobbishness and bigotry. The club, to be blunt, is paying a heavy price for its century-long antipathy towards signing Catholic players, a policy which planted this bitter harvest.

[Praha06]

Have UEFA indicated that they are to launch an investigation into Wednesday night's scenes?

[The Old Tolbooth]

How about this one, apologies if already mentioned.

 

Zenit may face sanctions because their fans ran onto the pitch in jubilation at celebrating their biggest victory in their entire history, yet uefa have stated that Rankgers would probably go unpunished for their fans tearing Manchester city centre to bits!

 

Incredible!!!

[hughesie27]

Has TheRapist been on yet?

[The Old Tolbooth]

Has TheRapist been on yet?

 

I think he's still in Manchester

[Praha06]

Has TheRapist been on yet?

 

Maybe he enjoyed Wednesday nights fare so much that he and the rest of them have decided to move their allegiences altogether. We wouldn't be that lucky would we?

[King of the North]

exactly, I said as much in my first response on this thread.

 

as much as it is unjust this tarnishes all Scottish football supporters. There have been some responses that have almost rejoiced that Rangers fans had ****ed up big time - I can't take any joy from such despicable acts, especially as they will be viewed by others as the acts of Scottish football fans, not just Rangers fans. A very sad day.

 

Thats exactly why we need the media, the SFA or the parliament to come out and say 'This is not a Scottish problem or an OF problem - this is a Rangers FC problem, and we recommend a UEFA ban fromEurope for the club.

 

But will it happen? Not from the media or the SFA thats for sure. Alex Salmond - your time is now!

[boabyarsebiscuit]

Has TheRapist been on yet?

 

If he hasn't you've just broken a forum rule.

[The Old Tolbooth]

Thats exactly why we need the media, the SFA or the parliament to come out and say 'This is not a Scottish problem or an OF problem - this is a Rangers FC problem, and we recommend a UEFA ban fromEurope for the club.

 

But will it happen? Not from the media or the SFA thats for sure. Alex Salmond - your time is now!

 

Not a snowballs chance in hell mate, these guys make up their own agenda to suit themselves in the name of gaining votes, he's more likely to come out and be a coward and defend them to the hilt. He won't risk alienating 200,000+ jakeballs!

[Praha06]

Thats exactly why we need the media, the SFA or the parliament to come out and say 'This is not a Scottish problem or an OF problem - this is a Rangers FC problem, and we recommend a UEFA ban fromEurope for the club.

 

But will it happen? Not from the media or the SFA thats for sure. Alex Salmond - your time is now!

 

Its just not going to happen. I am afraid there is an acceptance or rather a "turn the blind aye" attitude towards the sectarian loutish behaviour of Rangers' fans. Theres been inaction in the past few years and I expect more of the same.

 

I mean did the SFA not say they were going to start banning fans, deduction of points etc etc if any club's fans took part in hooligan/sectarian behaviour? We hear it/see it every week from Rangers and yet the authorities do nothing.

 

Just how much is Sir David Murray paying these people?

[bean counter]

Willie Waddell got it right 36 years ago with this

“It is to these tikes, hooligans, louts and drunkards that I pinpoint my message. It is because of your gutter-rat behaviour that we are being publicly tarred and feathered like this.”

 

It now needs David Murray to say the same

[BigC]

I have already started my boycott , 3 years ago....

 

Ditto.

 

I went to the end of season party in 2006. (Best. Away. Game. Ever.) But other than that I haven't been to a league game at Rantic for about 4-5 years.

[Praha06]

Yeah I certainly wont be back at Ibrox for a long time, big things will have to change. Always have a nasty taste in my mouth when I am at Ibrox, the hatred and vile spew that oozes out of those cretins is disgusting.

 

I have a couple of mates who are Rangers fans and you cant even reason with them half the time because they have so many prejudices its unreal. They dont like this person, they dont like that person, they wont buy this they wont buy that, I mean get a fu cking grip eh!

[billco98]

From BBC News site

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/7404660.stm

 

Uefa powerless to act on riots

 

Uefa have confirmed they have received the match delegate's report on Wednesday's Uefa Cup Final.

 

BBC Scotland understands no action will be taken against Rangers as a result of rioting in the city centre.

 

"Our discliplinary procedures only apply for events which occur at the stadium or within the perimeter," confirmed spokesman William Gailliard.

 

The governing body will review the pitch invasion by Zenit supporters and stabbing of a Russian fan.

 

The latter, however, remains under investigation by authorities in Manchester and Uefa will await further information before deciding on whether to impose any sanctions on the Ibrox club.

 

Rangers' chief executive Martin Bain has already stated his belief that the violence was caused "by fans who don't normally attach themselves to our support."

 

And Stephen Smith of the Rangers Supporters' Trust said the fans' group hoped the club would act against those responsible, including the penalty of lifetime bans from Ibrox.

 

"It was a very small minority who were responsible and the vast majority were a credit to the club," he said.

 

"We would want any of those individuals who are identified to be receiving punitive sanctions from the club, and I am sure they will."

 

Aye, but what about the hundreds of other neds who were not arrested and therefore will noit be subject to 'punitive sanctions'?

 

All's well in the Hun World, so that's OK - let's move on.

[alwaysthereinspirit]

How about this one, apologies if already mentioned.

 

Zenit may face sanctions because their fans ran onto the pitch in jubilation at celebrating their biggest victory in their entire history, yet uefa have stated that Rankgers would probably go unpunished for their fans tearing Manchester city centre to bits!

 

Incredible!!!

 

That you couldn't make up.

Punished for celebrating.

Unpunished for stabbing, smashing, tipping, throwing, fighting and assaulting the police.

[269miles]

Uefa powerless to act on riots

 

Uefa have confirmed they have received the match delegate's report on Wednesday's Uefa Cup Final.

 

BBC Scotland understands no action will be taken against Rangers as a result of rioting in the city centre.

 

"Our discliplinary procedures only apply for events which occur at the stadium or within the perimeter,"

 

Interesting.

 

During EURO2000 when England fans went on the rampage in Belgium I seem to recall UEFA threatening to kick England out of the tournament if there was any repeat of the disturbances which seem SO reminiscent of Manchester. This was violence in a town square , nowhere near any football stadium.

 

 

From the Independent's webiste .

The extent of violence perpetrated by England supporters was so great that Uefa warned the Football Association England would be expelled from the tournament if its fans misbehaved again. In the end, a defeat at the hands of Romania earlier this week saw the team knocked out without reaching the quarter-finals.

 

Why are Rangers being treated differently ?

[Hagar the Horrible]

Ok so it's clear Uefa were powerless to do anything apart from investigate the stabbing at the ground?

 

But that does not mean we cant (SFA/SPL)?

 

Look at it this way? A couple of thousand rioters is a couple of thousand rioters, minority/majority irrelevant. It was a couple of thousand ambassadors for their club and country and totally unacceptable?

 

It was pure luck somebody was not killed or maimed for life, that cop was attacked by an angry mob was so lucky to get away with his life, one guy was beating him with a big stick?

 

So if the media are going to brush this away and the SFA will hide it's head in the sand? then it is up to us?

 

Every clubs has it nutters or even reasonable rational guys who do something stupid occasionally but it's usually down to clubs and supporters to self police? Its down to Hearts fans to sort out Hearts fans and Aberdeen fans to sort out Aberdeen fans etc?

 

With Rangers however they have had several chances to sort themselves out? If they get away with it this time (most probable) then they will be far worse as they will be untouchable?

 

Yes there were 100k+ fans there who did nothing? but that is my point if 100k did absolutely nothing to bring those accountable under control then they are just as bad? We have all seen the videos how many will be recognised and reported? err none!

 

Yes there were only 40 or so arrested but the priority of GMP was to try and keep the peace on the streets, those arrested would have required 80 or so officers off the streets where they we needed.

 

So what do we all do? get all fans groups and pressure their own clubs not to allocate tickets to Rangers fans next season, and refuse any for Ibrox.

 

All rangers fans should be tarred by the same brush as they have had their chance to clean their own dirty laundry in private, they chose not to, so its down to us to force their house into order?

[Terrible Trio]

Yep. And if that means people like Terrible Trio are going to claim it's simply the 'deeply offended' getting on their high horses, then so be it. Because I am deeply offended, and bloody depressed too. I can't wait to hear more from the case for the defence, because I cannot begin to imagine what the hell they can possibly use to defend this stuff. There is no defence, no matter what way you look at it.

 

for what it's worth, I spent 3 days in Manchester - thousands upon thousands in the streets having a great time - no sign of any trouble

 

it appears a small minority spoilt it - I am sure if any team had 175,000 fans in a town and the plug was pulled on the planned coverage a small minority of the fans would have done the same

 

when you have such numbers and add it to the drink consumed some will behave in such a way, unfortunately for the 99% who behave in a respectable manner that's the way it is

[sprinbox98]

for what it's worth, I spent 3 days in Manchester - thousands upon thousands in the streets having a great time - no sign of any trouble

 

it appears a small minority spoilt it - I am sure if any team had 175,000 fans in a town and the plug was pulled on the planned coverage a small minority of the fans would have done the same

 

when you have such numbers and add it to the drink consumed some will behave in such a way, unfortunately for the 99% who behave in a respectable manner that's the way it is

 

 

Just out of interest why did you spend 3 days in Manchester if you are a Hearts fan? I dont remember them playing down there this week?