NEWS of the changes that are going to be put into place as a consequence of the Janefield Street Crush from last September for the Celtic v the Rangers match at the end March have emerged – and the Rangers fans think they’re going to be treated like ANIMALS!
The September fixture was the first one against the new club with the reduced allocation of around 800 away supporters. Yet Police Scotland, with or without the consent of Celtic FC, appeared to treat that game as if the Rangers had their full allocation.
That meant access around the stadium at the away end corner was denied to ALL Celtic supporters. No account seemed to have been taken to the fact that with over 7000 fewer away fans meant over 7000 MORE Celtic supporters would be at the game.
Whoever had the bright idea to channel them all through the narrow tunnel behind the North Stand could have ended up with a blood on their hands and another disaster.
Indeed, and having been in the crush that developed in the half hour before the match kicked-off, it was only as a result of the calmness and patience of the Celtic support – without any Police assistance whatsoever – that a major incident was prevented.
Celtic commissioned an independent enquiry into the Janefield Street Crush and that is expected to be published shortly, according to a recent statement from the club.
However this evening news of the new arrangements is breaking via Rangers supporters – who are extremely unhappy at the new arrangements.
The Rangers Ticket Centre have issued details of the new arrangements in a memo titled Important Supporter Communication and it says:
Rangers Football Club has been instructed to include the following information from the Head of Safety, Security and Operations at Celtic FC with each ticket.
It is essential that fans who will receive a ticket for the match are aware of the following information. In the interest of safety we will require Rangers Fans to be in the Stadium no later than 11:00 hours.
Fans are requested to gather at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome around 10.30 Hours at which point they will receive an escort across to Turnstiles 66 and 67. We estimate the loading process will take around half an hour and after this point the Stadium footprint will be open for general access. Rangers fans arriving after 11.00 Hours will be held away from the stadium until after the match has kicked off.
This decision has been taken in the interest of safety and Police Scotland supports the position taken.
Rangers Football Club
Some of the comments from the Rangers fans are worth noting…
“Only got ourselves to blame.”
“It also says Police Scotland support the position taken, who made the decision then Rangers?”
“It’s a joke, expecting us to turn up 2 hours before the kick-off, again Rangers just going with it and accepting it, shambles.”
“F*ck them, everybody leave from Bridgeton Cross with the boys from Bridgeton right up London Road.”
“Grow a set of balls, Rangers FFS…safety…this tells me the Celtic fans are not to be trusted. Tell them to ram their tickets up their arses.”
“Half ten is a shambles.”
“And the club just rolled over and let this happen, surely 800 fans going in is less of a security risk than 8000?’
“Disgusting.’Loaded’ since when were we animals?” – no laughing at the back!
“Why can’t they put up the security fencing we put up for them and the sheep?”
“So because their ground is a dump and they can’t get fans in and out safely, we get disadvantaged. Football for the fans right enough.”
So it looks like the access areas denied to Celtic supporters for the September match which Celtic won 1-0 will be open to the home support from 11am – that’s an hour before kick-off. And by then the Rangers supporters will be LOADED (like animals) into their corner or failing that will be held well away from the stadium until after the match has kicked off before being escorted to the away turnstiles.
Presumably they will be kept back after the game too until the Celtic fans have left the ground. If there’s another Celtic victory that means that they’ll have to ensure all the celebrations, this singing long to Beautiful Sunday Broony and the Bhoys and the customary over celebrating that so infuriated them the last time.
So it looks like being a very long day for the Rangers supporters. These arrangements are as a direct result of their own lobbying to have the Celtic support removed from the Free Broomloan stand after they couldn’t handle our celebrations any longer.
You reap what you sow, Bears, you reap what you sow.
