The independent review into the disorder after Celtic’s Scottish Cup win at Ibrox found the quarter-final was planned far too much like the routine league fixture played seven days earlier.
Investigators said the risks attached to the Scottish Cup tie were completely different. More than 8,000 Celtic fans were attending, extra time and penalties remained possible and Celtic were attempting to make history at Ibrox.
The Scottish FA commissioned the review after serious disorder inside and outside Ibrox overshadowed Celtic’s historic win in March. Much of the criticism falls on Rangers and Police Scotland.
Supporters from both clubs were condemned for their behaviour, but the report also found major failures before kick-off. Rangers and Police Scotland prepared for a match they should have known would carry a far greater risk.
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Scottish FA says Celtic cup tie demanded far greater planning
The report calls the quarter-final a match of national significance. More than 8,000 Celtic fans were attending, while extra time and penalties remained possible in a tie that carried far greater risks than the league fixture.
The review said its risk profile bore no meaningful resemblance to the Premiership meeting the week before. Despite that, the assessment used for the cup tie was almost identical and rated a pitch invasion as unlikely.
- The possibility of extra time and penalties was not reflected properly in the planning.
- The risk assessment was near-identical despite the presence of 5,600 additional Celtic supporters.
- Neither Rangers nor Police Scotland had key leads with experience of managing an 8,000-strong Celtic allocation at Ibrox.
- The relatively quiet league fixture may have created complacency before the cup tie.
The report found that neither Rangers nor Police Scotland had the experience needed to manage a Celtic allocation of that size.
Celtic victory at Ibrox produced two serious near misses
The review identified two incidents that could have ended in tragedy. Outside Ibrox, the failed search-lane operation created a real risk of supporters being crushed.
On the pitch, masked Rangers supporters armed with poles and reinforced gloves came close to a violent confrontation with Celtic fans. Police took four minutes and 28 seconds to regain control during a period when life-threatening violence was possible.
- Ultra group behaviour was foreseeable.
- Ticketing irregularities were foreseeable.
- A pitch invasion was foreseeable.
- The reaction to Celtic winning at Ibrox was foreseeable.
The supporters involved remain responsible for the disorder. That does not remove the serious planning failures identified by the review.
Rangers and Police Scotland prepared for the wrong type of match, and several dangers identified beforehand then unfolded at Ibrox.
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