Rangers condemn shotgun banner during Old Firm derby
May 5 (Reuters) - Rangers have condemned a banner displayed by their supporters during Sunday's Scottish Premiership 1-1 draw with rivals Celtic at the Ibrox Stadium that appeared to show former manager Graeme Souness holding a double-barrel shotgun.
A banner, reading "Take aim against the rebel scum" was part of the tifo display held up by a large section of the crowd in the Copland Stand before kick-off, unfurled as players emerged from the Ibrox tunnel.
The image was based on a real photograph of Souness taken in 1982 ahead of Scotland's World Cup match against New Zealand in Spain.
Rangers also condemned a supporter who threw a glass bottle onto the pitch during the derby, which landed near Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisal.
"This behaviour has no place at our stadium. Steps have already been taken to identify the person responsible and the club will take the strongest possible action once their identity is confirmed," a Rangers spokesperson said on Sunday.
"We also acknowledge that the tifo displayed prior to kick-off crossed a line and was unacceptable. Our approach to supporter displays has always been built on trust, with the responsibility placed on groups to exercise good judgement.
"We will reflect on how these displays are managed and engage with supporter groups to ensure the right balance of trust, responsibility and oversight is maintained moving forward."
A police spokesperson told BBC Scotland that they are aware of the banner and enquiries are ongoing.
In March, UEFA fined Rangers 30,000 euros ($34,029)and issued a suspended partial stadium closure over a banner displayed during their Europa League match against Fenerbahce.
The banner, which read "Keep woke foreign ideologies out. Defend Europe," was deemed "racist and/or discriminatory" by UEFA.
($1 = 0.8816 euros)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
33 minutes ago
- Metro
Football fan dies after falling from stand during Portugal v Spain final
A football fan has died after falling from the second tier of a stand during the Nations League final between Portugal and Spain. Portugal lifted their second Nations League trophy on Sunday night after beating neighbours Spain on penalties in a thrilling final at Munich's Allianz Arena. Paramedics and stewards were seen rushing to attend to a fan deep into extra-time after they fell from the second tier of the main stand onto the seating area below. The game continued while the spectator was being treated but UEFA confirmed the person could not be revived. 'There was a medical emergency at the Munich arena, and despite the best efforts of the medical team, the person sadly passed away at 00:06 (CET),' a statement read. 'Our thoughts are with their loved ones at this difficult time.' Spain manager Luis de la Fuente began his post-match press conference by offering his sympathies to the supporter's loved ones. More Trending 'I want to express my condolences to the family of a fan who has died,' De la Fuente said. 'That has made us realize what is important in life.' Portugal Player of the Match, Nuno Mendes, added: 'I would like to express my condolences to the family of the fan that died. It casts a pall on our victory today.' More to follow… MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo makes shock injury revelation after Portugal win Nations League MORE: Liverpool star responds to rumours he could complete Bayern Munich transfer MORE: Franck Ribery hits back at Cristiano Ronaldo over Ballon d'Or claim
Scotsman
41 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Scotland seek answers in Liechtenstein: Steve Clarke's changes, 'shouldn't be panic' and chance-taker
In last match before World Cup qualifiers, Clarke and co require a response Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The tranquil setting of Vaduz on the banks of the Rhine should not be a place where further pressure is put on a football manager. Flanked by mountains, visitors usually return refreshed and happy. The small nation of Liechtenstein is currently ranked 202 in the FIFA World rankings. Only Hong Kong have suffered defeat to them in the past five years. Their 'golden' era of most-capped keeper Peter Jehle and star striker Mario Frick are long gone. Konrad Fünfstück's are usually deemed as easy prey for opponents of any meaningful repute. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland fall into that category as they arrive at the Rheinpark Stadion on the Swiss border. This is down as an away win, with odds of 1/12 from most bookmakers. San Marino scored three times when they rocked up here in November. It was an evening of anguish for Scotland against Iceland last time out. | SNS Group History with Liechtenstein won't ease any queasiness, mind you. On Scotland's only previous sojourn to Vaduz in 2011, they narrowly prevailed 1-0 thanks to a goal from Craig Mackail-Smith. That came a year on from an almost catastrophic first meeting with Liechtenstein, when Stephen McManus' 97th-minute header earned a 2-1 win at Hampden. The last match of a long season, many in the Scotland squad are entitled to feel jaded. There have been title wins, cup successes and long European runs. This probably isn't their idea of an Alpine retreat. Nevertheless, Scotland need to tool up for one final job ahead of the holidays. A meek 3-1 defeat by Iceland on Friday night and the lacklustre nature of the performance requires a response. This is the last time head coach Steve Clarke will have his squad together before the World Cup qualification campaign kicks off in September against Denmark. The Parken Stadion will be a world away from the docile 7,584 arena they play in on Monday evening. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland 'need to win their next game' Scotland will want to bounce into the autumn matches, of that there is no doubt. Their recent record in friendlies is poor and Clarke wanted to address that in this double-header. Iceland has come and gone, now it's about doing a number on Liechtenstein. "We need to win our next game on Monday night," was the blunt assessment of midfielder Lewis Ferguson after Iceland. "We need to go and put on a good performance and win the game. Winning games is what breeds confidence. We need to get back to that." Clarke himself admits he is not the most adventurous when it comes to mixing it up with team selection. The manager may have been wrestling with whether to give his main men a chance to atone for Friday and get a much-needed triumph under their belt in Scotland colours, or blood some of the uncapped players in his current group. As it is, injury and fatigue may play a part, with Clarke accepting he may make more alterations than usual. The likes of Josh Doig, Andy Irving and Kieron Bowie will be desperate for game-time and their international debuts. A maiden appearance may come between the sticks after Cieran Slicker was unceremoniously thrown in at the deep end for his first senior appearance for club or country against Iceland after Angus Gunn's second-minute injury and was at fault for all three goals. Celtic-bound keeper Ross Doohan has been summoned from his holidays to join the squad. Doohan has made 20 appearances for Aberdeen this season and seems likely to make his debut, having been solid at Pittodrie all season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One may ask why he wasn't in the squad ahead of others. One may also ask why Clarke reverted back to a back-three against Iceland when the back-four had been a reasonable success in the Nations League A campaign against more glamourous opposition. Kieran Tierney's injury may force a formation change. Scott McTominay, the poster boy after Serie A success with Napoli, will also be absent due to a niggle. That means Clarke doesn't need to find the best way to shoe-horn all of his top-level midfielders into one team. It is hard to get Ferguson, John McGinn, Billy Gilmour and McTominay effectively on the pitch at the same time. Craig Mackail-Smith scores the winner against Liechtenstein for Scotland back in 2011. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 And then there are the strikers. Che Adams has not scored for Scotland in a year, and the Torino hitman must sense an opportunity against Liechtenstein. They are rarely scudded, but Adams will surely get chances if selected ahead of George Hirst as Clarke's No 9. He needs to take them. Within the squad, there is awareness of the talent at Scotland's disposal. "There shouldn't be any panic," Ferguson advised. "We've good strong squad, with plenty of quality and experience. But we do recognise that we need to get back to winning ways and get back to performing at the levels we know we're capable of." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Ronaldo confirms Portugal injury nightmare as he makes Martinez thoughts clear
Cristiano Ronaldo played through the pain barrier to lead Portugal to winning the Nations League final against bitter rivals Spain, with the skipper breaking down in tears after the game Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed he suffered an injury in the warm-up ahead of Sunday's Nations League final. The 40-year-old was able to start the clash against Spain, scoring his side's second goal against La Roja. The final, held in Munich's Allianz Arena ended up 2-2 after 90 minutes, with Portugal beating their bitter rivals 5-3 in a penalty shootout. It is Portugal's first competitive win over their neighbours since Euro 2004. And it means that they won the Nations League for the second time, having also lifted the trophy in 2019. Ronaldo was not on the pitch for the shootout though, having been replaced by Goncalo Ramos with two minutes remaining. He broke down in tears after the game as he lifted the trophy with his jubilant team-mates. The superstar attacker confirmed he had fought through the pain barrier to help his side, as he hinted towards a potential retirement. Ronaldo made an effort to describe the win as a 'duty fulfilled' and insisted it was the 'pinnacle' for this group of Portugal players, a year out from the 2026 World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. 'I am so happy. First place for this generation, which deserved a title of this magnitude, for our families. My children came here, my wife, my brother, my friends. Winning for Portugal is always special. I have many titles with my clubs, but there is nothing better than winning for Portugal. It brings tears to my eyes. It is a duty fulfilled and a lot of joy,' he told Sport TV. 'It's beautiful. It's our nation. We are a small people, but with great ambition. It makes me happy. I've lived in many countries, I've played for many clubs, but when people talk about Portugal, it's always a special feeling. Being the captain of this generation, it's a source of pride. "Winning a title is always the pinnacle of a national team. Winning a title is the pinnacle. The future is about thinking short-term. Now it's time to rest well. I had the injury and that was too much, too much... I pushed, because for the national team you have to push. 'I had already felt it [the injury] during the warm-up, I had been feeling it for some time, but if I had to break a leg for the national team, I would have. It was a title, I had to play and I gave my all, I went as far as I could. I helped with a goal." Ronaldo also reserved praise for boss Roberto Martinez. The Spaniard had come under fire following Euro 2024, in which Portugal stumbled into the quarter-finals before being knocked out by France. But the skipper has insisted he is the right man for the job. 'This generation deserved a lot, especially the coach. What they did to him wasn't fair. They beat him up a lot and he doesn't deserve it. He's the right coach to be in the national team," Ronaldo added. "The passion he brings to training and matches is huge. Even though he's not Portuguese, I appreciate him even more. We should respect him a little more and let him work calmly. After winning a competition like this, in Germany , against Germany and Spain , we have to give credit to the players and the coaching staff." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
