Celtic’s interim chairman Brian Wilson has moved to defend his club’s supporters in the wake of the disorder that followed Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, taking a position that is likely to sit uneasily with Rangers.
Celtic won the tie on penalties to knock Danny Rohl’s side out of the competition, and the full-time scenes that followed have dominated the headlines ever since. It was the first time the Broomloan Stand had been opened to more than 7,000 Celtic fans at Ibrox since 2018, and the events of Sunday go a long way toward explaining why that arrangement had been absent for eight years.
Celtic supporters were the first to enter the pitch following the winning penalty, with a group of Rangers fans then responding by charging across the stadium, resulting in clashes that drew widespread condemnation. Reports also emerged of Celtic fans breaking into the ground before kick-off, damaging seating and facilities, and spraying offensive graffiti on the walls of the stadium.
Despite all of that, Wilson’s statement, quoted by the Glasgow Times, was heavily weighted in favour of his own club. He called for evidence to be examined before what he described as a false narrative is established, and said he would only condemn behaviour if violence or threats of violence were proven. He characterised the initial pitch invasion as a euphoric response to winning, noting that similar scenes had occurred elsewhere in Scottish football this season. That may be technically accurate, but it does little to address the specific circumstances of what unfolded at Ibrox or the damage caused to the ground.
Wilson’s stance will almost certainly frustrate Rangers, who will feel the Celtic chairman is deflecting responsibility rather than engaging honestly with what happened.
Rangers are not without fault either. Steward numbers on the day were insufficient to manage the situations that arose, and that failure in crowd management contributed to how quickly events escalated. The Scottish FA investigation is ongoing, and both clubs could yet face consequences. Though it may feel disproportionate to some, Rangers could be held liable for the safety operation inside their own stadium regardless of who initiated the disorder.
A conclusion from the investigation is expected in due course, and the outcome is likely to have significant implications for future Old Firm allocations.