THE papers are saying that the Rangers will not give Scotland’s newly crowned Champions a Guard of Honour at Ibrox on Sunday. It is a tradition in Scottish football that will end at the weekend – adding to their broken history. Since Founding Father Charles Green launched the new club in the summer of 2012 it has been unable to win a single major honour and the jealousy towards the hugely successful Celtic – who are celebrating our 50th title win, will be there for all to see this weekend.
Even their former player Kris Boyd has called for them to do the right thing on Sunday and give the Champions a Guard of Honour, just like their own captain James Tavernier insisted was the correct thing to do.
“I think it would be the right thing to do. I think Rangers would make a statement about what type of club they are if they did it,”Boyd wrote in his newspaper column this morning as reported in Scottish Sun.
“Over the years, it has always been the case that Rangers have held themselves in high regard and rightly so, because of the way they have conducted themselves.
“It would be the right thing to do and, for me, I think they should.
“They might be your rivals but they have won the league. Pay them the respect they deserve.
“I get the view of the fans. I get people asking why would you want to clap your rivals on to the pitch. But be the bigger man and do what’s right. That would be to give Celtic a guard of honour.
“They have won the league, they are the champions so, for me, why would you not?
“I understand fans might be frustrated, but it’s not the end of the world if you clap someone going on to a pitch.”
Here’s a reminder of The Celtic Star piece from 1 May 2019…
‘Let’s hope you practice what you preach, blue Cafu,’ Tavernier’s Celtic fan reminder
THE current Rangers captain James Tavernier took to social media back in April 2016 after the Rangers had finally completed their somewhat delayed journey through the lower divisions to win promotion to the Premiership by winning the 2015-16 Championship.
The Rangers penalty king wanted to talk about the Guard of Honour that ‘Same Old’ Alloa
provided to the newly confirmed Championship winners at Ibrox in the first match after that lower league title was secured.
Tavernier wrote this: “Great respect to Alloa Athletic for the guard of honour today!! True sportsmanship unlike some!!
Let’s hope you practice what you preach, blue Cafu. ???????? pic.twitter.com/D1OfnXKrhm
— Nikki. (@championees) May 1, 2019
Should Celtic get at least a draw at Pittodrie or failing that if Hibs get something at Ibrox the next day then the Glasgow Derby the following week will give Tavernier and his team-mates the perfect opportunity to show “true sportsmanship” by providing the 8 In a Row Champions with a Guard of Honour.
The Same Old Alloa video remains a firm favourite from their Banter years. Surely it deserves another outing today?
