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Written by Editors
Monday, 25 April 2011 20:49 |
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Red Mist Over Glasgow
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Undoubtedly one of the fiercest rivalries in world football, the Old Firm derby quite literally divides the city of Glasgow in half. It’s more than just a game of football though; it’s a duel of epic proportions where politics and religion take centre stage. The atmosphere inside Parkhead during the recent Scottish Cup Fifth Round reply was tense as violence both on and off the pitch marred the contest. The scenes at the final whistle where Celtic manager Neil Lennon and Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist locked horns was unlike anything seen before on the touchline in the history of this fixture. Whilst we cannot underestimate that tempers flare during these games, these two experienced campaigners, who are both well accustomed to the intensity of Old Firm encounters, should have set a better example to those watching. Furthermore, three Rangers players were sent off during the game, amongst them the controversial El Hadji-Diouf, whose conduct towards the home team bench throughout the 90 minutes was fairly predictable given his previous antics in matches against Celtic and was evidently the cause of the post-match scuffle between Lennon and McCoist. Strathclyde Police arrested 34 fans within the ground for sectarian violence, racial abuse and breach of the peace. This is in addition to the 229 arrests made during the previous match between the two in the league back in late February. One strong argument being made is that with there having already been five Old Firm battles so far this season, there isn’t enough of a cooling down period in between contests. Thus, hostility from previous matches spills over into future clashes between the two sides. Violence before, during and after Old Firm matches has always been a topic of discussion in Scottish football, but the ill-tempered Scottish Cup replay provoked Strathclyde Police to request that Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland, call a summit involving both Celtic and Rangers, the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and Strathclyde Police to discuss the way forward for future Old Firm games. In the aftermath of the unruly cup tie, Salmond commented: “The disgraceful scenes last night cannot be ignored.” The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) urged the need for change to the most high-profile game in the Scottish football calendar by proposing either for games to be played behind closed doors or for there to be an outright ban on them altogether. The Chairman of the SPF, Les Gray, vehemently argued for action to be taken to prevent future shenanigans by saying: “We simply don’t have the money and resources to do this. Everyone involved needs to sit down and look at this. Something has to give. This madness cannot go on.” Gray went on to emphasise the implications of violence during these games: “What happens on the pitch is reproduced throughout Scotland, on the streets, in pubs, in homes. You cannot justify it. It can’t keep on going.” During comedian Jimmy Carr’s gig in Glasgow recently, one member of the audience joked that “Old Firm day is domestic violence day.” Politicians such as Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill have taken the matter more seriously, voicing their concerns that alcohol fuels the unsavoury scenes that take place on Old Firm derby day – both in the streets and in the home. Alcohol-induced aggression in football is, however, symbolic of the wider social problem of binge-drinking within the UK, not just Scotland. With the next eagerly awaited encounter involving these two heavyweights taking place in the Scottish League Cup Final on March 20 at Hampden Park, we can only hope that the summit will have the desired effect. Sectarianism is nothing new, given that Rangers have been fined twice by UEFA in the past for sectarian chants sung by their fans, while a section of Celtic fans, ‘The Green Brigade’, condemned the poppy being used on the club’s strip. Consequently, neither Celtic nor Rangers are blameless in this case, and neither of them should forget that they have a duty to represent Scottish football and indeed Scottish society in a more positive light.
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