Even the BBC’s Tom English was forced to admit the scale of the “free-for-all” at Ibrox, detailing a “chronology” of events that left Celtic players and staff in genuine danger.
Celtic beat Rangers in the Scottish Cup on penalties and that caused a huge melee to kick-off at full time as the Ibrox support took humbrage at the Parkhead support celebrating with players.
But it was the list of shocking events delivered by Tom English that detailed the Ibrox carnage:
- Targeting the Staff: English highlighted a specific, shameful moment where a Rangers fan in a “grey top” appeared to launch a punch at a member of the Celtic backroom staff right in front of the media gantry.
- Players Under Threat: New signing Julian Araujo was directly squared up to by pitch invaders, requiring a “very concerned” Martin O’Neill to step in and lead the player to safety as the situation spiraled out of control.
- Weaponising the Chaos: The report confirms that “missiles” and “flares” were launched by the home support, creating a “melee” that the police and stewards desperately struggled to contain.
- The “Scarpering” Truth: Despite the aggression, English noted the “significant numbers” of Rangers fans quickly fled back to the Copland Road Stand once order was partially restored.
Tom English says Rangers fan ‘attempted punch’ at Celtic coach
English said on BBC Sportsound, “Richard, you look at it, I mean, the chronology of this is the Celtic fans poured onto the pitch, lots of them.
“And then there was a small number from the other end came on, and then they disappeared again.
“And then the more Celtic fans that came on from the Broomloan Stand end, then the Rangers fans decided right enough was enough, and they streamed on in huge numbers.
“They piled across the halfway line. It looked like one of them attempted to throw a punch at somebody in the Celtic staff, right in front of us here. Certainly one of the…
Gordon: “That was the big guy in the grey top, wasn’t it?”
English: “Yes, so that was the first one. Then just after that, it looked like somebody else squared up to Julian Araujo, because he was led away.
“Araujo was led away by a very concerned looking Martin O’Neill, and it was a free for all right there. The Celtic players were in danger, because there was a lot of Rangers fans around them.
“Of course, the Celtic fans were just continuing to cause a melee. There was a few flares thrown [by Rangers fans], a few missiles were flying. The stewards and the police desperately trying to bring order to this.
“But there were so many Celtic fans on the pitch, and then so many Rangers fans on the pitch.
“The Rangers fans scarpered, but as you say, with their faces covered, they scarpered right in front of us here in significant numbers. And then they ran down the pitch back to the Copland Road Stand.”
You can listen to the shocking account below: