GORDON SMITH BLAMES CELTIC FANS FOR RANGERS’ HOOLIGANS
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 14 minutes ago
- 3 min read
You knew it was going to happen. As I predicted yesterday, the mainstream press would find a useful idiot somewhere to parrot the narrative they insist on pushing. As it turns out this week’s rent-a-goon is former Rangers player and SFA Chief Executive (funny how those two roles fit so well together isn’t it?) Gordon Smith.
Speaking to The Herald Newspaper, at a time when the usual politicians and other attention seeking opportunists are doing their usual dance, I would have hoped someone of Smith’s standing in the Scottish game would have employed a bit of common sense and a bit of honest introspection.
That he, ultimately, chose neither shouldn’t really surprise any of us.
Celtic Fans are Not to Blame For the Actions of Scotland’s Shame
Speaking about the disgraceful scenes of Rangers fans charging onto the pitch to attack celebrating Celtic fans, Smith said succinctly: “If there had been no away fans at the game yesterday, you wouldn’t have had anything like that at all.”
So, the problem isn’t an unchallenged subculture of fascist hooliganism in the Ibrox stands. The problem isn’t, apparently, allowing 40,000 Rangers fans to sing about murder, bigotry and racism for 120 minutes without comment, further fermenting the hate-filled and utterly poisonous atmosphere.
No, the problem is “those uppity Celtic fans”, having the audacity to win at Ibrox, and then celebrate doing so.”
It is genuinely sad that one of Scottish football’s elder statesmen, and someone whose opinion I generally respected during his time as a pundit on the BBC, has decided to, as my American friends would say “Drink the Cool-Aid” on this one.
It pains me to see someone of Smith’s intelligence reduced to parroting the same “they bring it on themselves” narrative that was used so readily to demonize Neil Lennon over a number of years.
A reminder, Lennon's only crime was simply having the temerity to be a passionate, committed Celtic fan, and Irishman who wasn’t ashamed to show it.
Smith should know better, these lies were bang out of order 20 years ago when they started, and they are even more so today.
If Rangers can’t control their own supporters, that is entirely on them. As I said a few weeks ago, if they can’t guarantee the safety of visiting supporters, then Ibrox Stadium has no business hosting cup ties or indeed any other football matches.
I really had some hope that the modernizing influence of Rangers new owners might have put an end to this nonsense. Instead, like the good vulture capitalists that they are, they’ve decided to play into the bigotry.
They’ve decided to cash in on the hatred. Orange away kits and goalie shirts, turning a blind eye to the old, illegal songbook, it all adds to the pressure cooker atmosphere and the overwhelming sense of entitlement that led to the inevitable tantrums at full time.
Yesterday was a disaster waiting to happen. It’s one that Rangers not only allowed to happen, but their actions in the run up to the game actively encouraged it.
Gordon Smith’s idiotic comments don’t change that. Nothing will change until everyone grows up and realizes that the problem isn’t Celtic, it isn’t our fans. This is a Rangers problem, and only Rangers can solve it.