Davie Provan correctly shuts down Celtic guard of honour 'nonsense'

By John McGinley

March 13, 2021

Former Celtic player Davie Provan has shut down the concept of the Bhoys giving rivals Rangers a guard of honour next week at Celtic Park.

Steven Gerrard’s mob will arrive at Paradise next week as Scottish Premiership champions. Clearly not the perfect scenario for Celtic.

However, there have been rumblings that the Bhoys should provide a guard of honour and clap Rangers onto the pitch prior to kick-off.

Provan has written that off as nonsense in his weekend column.

The Sky Sports pundit told The Scottish Sun: “Rangers never won the league during my time at Celtic, but if they had you wouldn’t have found me in a guard of honour for them.

“And you can bet Steven Gerrard won’t give a toss if John Kennedy orders his players to blank that nonsense next Sunday.

“Gers fans claiming it’s a tradition might be right, but so was taking a lump of coal into your neighbours’ house at New Year.

“Clapping opposition on to the pitch puts you one down before a ball is kicked.”

Celtic will never owe Rangers anything including a guard of honour

Football might like a bit of “let’s all be friends” patter from time to time, but the sport should also protect the rivalries that often makes it such an enticing watch.

There’s absolutely no chance Celtic will be giving them a guard of honour, just as they wouldn’t for us. That’s fine. Let’s not pretend we want to show them sportsmanship.

Supporters at a Celtic v Rangers match / (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

I’m comfortable enough with my pettiness to never entertain the notion of giving them anything! I’m comfortable enough hoping for a flukey 1-0 win with an injury-time goal that is adjudged to have been offside on television.

That’s the nature of this game and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

In other news, Chris Wilder has officially left Sheffield United amid Celtic rumours.