Rangers have issued a statement regarding the post-match scenes at Ibrox, following Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final defeat to Celtic.
After 120 minutes of play without a winner, the visitors emerged victorious through a penalty shootout. After this, chaos unfolded as supporters from both sides made their way onto the pitch.
Violent scenes broke out with clashes between both sets of supporters, as well as pyrotechnics being hurled into the Broomloan Stand, among other incidents, both inside and outside the stadium.
The away end was also left heavily damaged with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of destruction and graffiti mocking the Ibrox disaster.
Now, four days later, Rangers have issued a statement. In full, it said, “Following the events of Sunday’s Scottish Cup fixture at Ibrox, we have spent the past few days in discussions with our staff, supporter groups and the relevant authorities, and we will continue to work closely with Police Scotland, Glasgow City Council, the Scottish FA and the Safety Advisory Group in the weeks ahead.
“The disorder that occurred on Sunday was unacceptable, and we condemn it unequivocally. Safety must always come first in football, for supporters, players and everyone working in and around the game. We also want to recognise the efforts of the many staff, stewards and emergency services who operated in extremely difficult circumstances on the day.
“There are now a number of serious issues which require proper examination. For that reason, we agree that there should be a fully independent review into the events surrounding the match. That review must be thorough and wide-ranging, examining the decisions and actions of all relevant parties. Its scope must include the broader context around this fixture, from the initial decisions on ticket allocations through to the sequence of incidents that followed the match. All parties must be prepared to have their actions and decision-making subjected to proper scrutiny.
“Where individuals are identified and convicted of offences connected to the match, the club will take action and impose appropriate sanctions, including the potential withdrawal of ticketing privileges and stadium bans.
“We will approach all regulatory engagement responsibly and cooperate fully with the authorities as the facts are established. At the same time, we will represent the club and our supporters robustly. We recognise that many fans want the club to say more at this stage, and supporters should be assured that we are across the detail of the issues being discussed and the questions being raised. However, it is important that we respect any ongoing investigative or judicial processes and do nothing that could prejudice them. There will be an appropriate time to address those matters fully.
“What we can say now is that issues of stadium safety and the legacy of the Ibrox Disaster are deeply personal to this club. We were appalled to discover graffiti within the stadium referencing that tragedy. The memory of the 66 supporters who lost their lives in January 1971 deserves dignity and respect. To desecrate their memory is vile. It is cowardly. It is shameful. This is not football rivalry and it is not banter. It is the abuse of a tragedy that claimed 66 lives.
“Finally, it is important that the reputation of Rangers supporters is treated fairly in this discussion. Tens of thousands of people attended Ibrox on Sunday simply to support their team with pride and to watch a football match. We will not accept a narrative that ignores the full context of what happened.
“For now, it would not be appropriate to comment further.”