Celtic & Rangers cited after Ibrox cup tie unrest

What the report says

BBC Sport Scotland reports that Rangers and Celtic have both been cited by the Scottish FA over disorder after their Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox in March. The governing body issued matching notices of complaint alleging breaches of rule 37, which deals with good order, security arrangements and unacceptable conduct by supporters. Hearings are scheduled for 13 August.

The unrest followed Celtic’s penalty shootout win on 8 March, when some away supporters entered the pitch and Rangers fans then moved to confront them. Fireworks were thrown between groups, and police formed a cordon on the playing surface. BBC Sport says at least 37 people have been arrested in connection with the trouble, which also left police officers and stewards injured.

The SFA published an independent review alongside the charges. Lead author Mark Blackbourne warned the situation narrowly avoided a large-scale violent confrontation and said a crush was a foreseeable risk as non-compliant ultras surged past police and stewards. The review criticised the influence of ultras groups, shortcomings in planning for a high-risk fixture and a lack of outside scrutiny of club and Police Scotland operational plans.

The fixture was the first Old Firm derby since 2018 with a full away allocation, with about 8,000 Celtic fans in the Broomloan Stand. Rangers said they had raised safety concerns and do not plan to restore historic derby allocations. Celtic interim chairman Brian Wilson accepted some criticism but disputed parts of the review and raised concerns about the response to home supporters. The report also urged tougher sanctions, including possible stand or stadium closures, and described the SFA’s previous use of disciplinary powers as too limited and inconsistent.