Why Rangers must take responsibility for the hooligans trashing their reputation in Europe

By Brian McNally

Published 11:43 06/11/09

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Once more the European focus on football hooliganism is trained on Scotland and not England.

The spotlight of the UEFA disciplinary body is again fixed on the rampaging antics of some Rangers fans, whose reputation for violent disorder and discriminatory chanting and singing spans several decades.

And, surprise, surprise, once more the Ibrox apologists are blaming everyone except the Rangers yobs for the fighting and seat-throwing in Bucharest.

The previous time Rangers fan rioted at the 2008 UEFA Cup Final it was all the fault of the local council's crowd arrangements, the brutality of the Manchester police and  blank television screens.

Back in 1972 when Rangers won the European Cup Winners Cup in Spain and marred the success with another full-blown riot it was according to Ibrox legend triggered by Franco's fascist thugs.

The latest attempt to defend the indefensible comes from Ibrox chief executive Martin Bain, who pledges to "fight" his fans corner blaming insufficient turnstiles and insensitive stewarding and policing.

Even if that is true - and it is for UEFA to rule on that- what is indisputable is that Rangers fans ripped out seats and used them as missiles, while some visiting fans charged the security forces.

The video evidence shows that just as the audio quite clearly highlights more of the discriminatory singing that saw Rangers fined by UEFA in the past.

At a time when Rangers are trying to attract new investors it is a problem they could do without. They will be lucky to escape another fine.

But until Rangers and UEFA confront the recurring hooliganism and sectarianism head on it will continue to haunt Ibrox for many years to come.

The fines Rangers have received in the past have been derisory and ineffective.

Jim Templeton, president of the Rangers Assembly, which represents Ibrox fans, has admitted in the past that a hardcore element  exists.

He said: “Like every big club, Rangers has an element of support that the club would not want to be affiliated with.

“These people might call themselves Rangers supporters but they are not. They are nothing short of animals.”

Until Rangers are as blunt about the thugs and bigots in their midst there will be more  Manchesters and Bucharests.

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