New Club Statement - spot on

[D'Artagnan 173]

Tbh D'art, I don't think the important issue here is security. I'm not saying the attacks on our players aren't important but presuming that the measures put in place and/or the actual reaction from security were simply very poor and inadequate.

 

IMO the important is the underlying issues which you and others have already touched upon over the weekend. The issues that mean these type of incidents on whatever scale will almost certainly happen again.

 

Over and above the usual football rivalry we have had our problems over the past few years which have been jumped upon by our main rivals in a metaphorical call to arms to fans of other clubs so as to focus on and squeeze Rangers out every which way they can.....This has been magnified with creative use of social media.

 

The other main polarizing factor has been political and the lingering legacy of the referendum campaign.

 

Pointing this out is one thing, trying to address the matter in a constructive manner is at this point in time next to impossible.

 

I think to an extent because of the attempts to airbrush this we have all become caught up in the blame game.

 

Id say the most important feature was security & safety - had it not been for the restraint of the Rangers support there would have been a full scale riot on a par with 1980. Hibs fans intent on violence were allowed to run the whole length of the field and goad and intice Rangers supporters to fight. I was seated behind the goals and there was a group of Hibs standing in the 6 yard area of the goal egging Rangers fans to come and fight.

 

Our disabled supporters were absolutely swamped by invading Hibs fans - and a no. this morning have given accounts of how terrified they were via Radio Scotland.

 

Every Rangers player, and some backroom staff were subjected to some sort of physical or verbal abuse and the match officials - the bloody match officials !- had to provide a safety cordon around Andy Halliday.

 

The Police failed abysmally - the situation should have been controlled by Police resources being deployed at the half way line allowing the Hibs fans to express their jubilation in a containment exercise. They failed to do this despite their being ample evidence the Hibs fans intended to invade at FT. The Police were unprepared, lacked proper and effective decision making and most alarmingly sufficient resources.

 

As Rangers fans left we were almost knocked over by vanloads of arriving Police - too little too late.

 

Its a shame that the ridiculous attempts to play the whole situation down have detracted from what was quite simply a safety and security debacle which should never be allowed to repeat itself.

Edited May 23, 2016 by D'Artagnan

[Germinal 27]

I don't think the standard statement would have registered.

 

Having players attacked on the pitch and the reaction to it has been sad but fairly predictable. A reaching of a 'line in the sand' of sorts that has been coming.

 

There is an undercurrent of hatred that is now going beyond the normal football rivalry levels, is becoming more widespread and manifests itself with people in roles of responsibility attempting to downplay attacks on players and many general supporters today online trying to deny it even happened.....and when faced with video evidence trying to present mitigating factors.

 

You could argue that parts of the statement further polarizes matters but there comes a time when a stand has to be made and you have to try and change the debate from what is relatively comfortable for the 'other side' into one that starts down a road to get to the underlying problems.

 

First part certainly true, second part what I'm very keen to see happen. Not convinced the statement does that, though.

[RabiDuck 89]

The involvement of the match officials lends another angle to this. One assumes that given they felt such action was necessary, it will form part of the match report submitted to the SFA? Surely at that point action will be required? Would also be interesting to see the match delegate's report...

[Germinal 27]

FFS Andy, the facts ARE clear. Clear video evidence of Wallace being attacked, clear evidence of Foderingham being manhandled.

 

How long are you going to deny what our enemies deny.

 

Watch the footage and then come back with a reasoned opinion instead of pontificating whilst clearly not having viewed the footage. Had you seen the footage you wouldn't be casting doubt on what happened.

 

No idea why you think I am denying what happened, or even casting doubt on it. What I want is to have it set in legal concrete and then to pursue everyone who has suggested it may be not that bad, especially as it's only Rangers & their fans.

 

Like banging yer heid off a brick fucking wall sometimes.

[RabiDuck 89]

I think to an extent because of the attempts to airbrush this we have all become caught up in the blame game.

 

Id say the most important feature was security & safety - had it not been for the restraint of the Rangers support there would have been a full scale riot on a par with 1980. Hibs fans intent on violence were allowed to run the whole length of the field and goad and intice Rangers supporters to fight. I was seated behind the goals and there was a group of Hibs standing in the 6 yard area of the goal egging Rangers fans to come and fight.

 

Our disabled supporters were absolutely swamped by invading Hibs fans - and a no. this morning have given accounts of how terrified they were via Radio Scotland.

 

Every Rangers player' date=' and some backroom staff were subjected to some sort of physical or verbal abuse and the match officials - the bloody match officials !- had to provide a safety cordon around Andy Halliday.

 

The Police failed abysmally - the situation should have been controlled by Police resources being deployed at the half way line allowing the Hibs fans to express their jubilation in a containment exercise. They failed to do this despite their being ample evidence the Hibs fans intended to invade at FT. The Police were unprepared, lacked proper and effective decision making and most alarmingly sufficient resources.

 

As Rangers fans left we were almost knocked over by vanloads of arriving Police - too little too late.

 

Its a shame that the ridiculous attempts to play the whole situation down have detracted from what was quite simply a safety and security debacle which should never be allowed to repeat itself.[/quote']

 

While I agree with you. There's a consideration to be made that the late nature of the goal shifted the mood entirely and the police were likely caught napping, rather than anything more sinister. Had the score remained level at full time and gone to extra time, there'd likely have been no invasion. The late goal went in and the police were unable to react in time before the final whistle was blown?

[buster. 4,808]

I think to an extent because of the attempts to airbrush this we have all become caught up in the blame game.

 

Id say the most important feature was security & safety - had it not been for the restraint of the Rangers support there would have been a full scale riot on a par with 1980. Hibs fans intent on violence were allowed to run the whole length of the field and goad and intice Rangers supporters to fight. I was seated behind the goals and there was a group of Hibs standing in the 6 yard area of the goal egging Rangers fans to come and fight.

 

Our disabled supporters were absolutely swamped by invading Hibs fans - and a no. this morning have given accounts of how terrified they were via Radio Scotland this morning.

 

Every Rangers player' date=' and some backroom staff were subjected to some sort of physical or verbal abuse and the match officials - the bloody match officials !- had to provide a safety cordon around Andy Halliday.

 

The Police failed abysmally - the situation should have been controlled by Police resources being deployed at the half way line allowing the Hibs fans to express their jubilation in a containment exercise. They failed to do this despite their being ample evidence the Hibs fans intended to invade at FT. The Police were unprepared, lacked proper and effective decision making and most alarmingly sufficient resources.

 

As Rangers fans left we were almost knocked over by vanloads of arriving Police - too little too late.

 

Its a shame that the ridiculous attempts to play the whole situation down have detracted from what was quite simply a safety and security debacle which should never be allowed to repeat itself.[/quote']

 

Yes, the security aspect was very important and obviously failed badly. I wasn't at the game and perhaps that makes it easier for me to look to the underlying issues as more important.

 

Yes, no cover-ups should be permitted and rsponsibility taken where applicable. I think that eventually, some will probably get 'hammered' (might not be the right ones but that is fairly standard).

 

The underlying issues are certainly more difficult to address meaningfully and impossible if not acknowledged.

[Germinal 27]

No idea why you think I am denying what happened, or even casting doubt on it. What I want is to have it set in legal concrete and then to pursue everyone who has suggested it may be not that bad, especially as it's only Rangers & their fans.

 

Like banging yer heid off a brick fucking wall sometimes.

 

That was uncalled for. Apologies.

[Frankie 8,157]

After Hibs scored their third goal, the stewards had to rush to the stand exits to avoid people trying to use the gates to get onto the park or put back fans that had encroached at that point.

 

As this happened, the police should have deployed, three mins before the final whistle.

 

It was appalling organisation and it sickens me to hear the police federation rep say they were brilliant.

Edited May 23, 2016 by Frankie

[D'Artagnan 173]

No idea why you think I am denying what happened, or even casting doubt on it. What I want is to have it set in legal concrete and then to pursue everyone who has suggested it may be not that bad, especially as it's only Rangers & their fans.

 

Like banging yer heid off a brick fucking wall sometimes.

 

I have a certain sympathy Germinal for what you are trying to express here.

 

Every writing course I have undertaken ( and from my experience of writing for 25 years) has always stressed the importance of including the main message to the exclusion of the contentious or debatable. Our statement, much as I am pleased with it, didnt do that. The subsequent response of the likes of the impartial and fair Peter Adam Smith underlines that.

[buster. 4,808]

After Hibs scored their third goal, the stewards had to rush to the stand exists to avoid people trying to use the gates to get onto the park or put back fans that had encroached at the point.

 

As this happened, the police should have deployed, three mins before the final whistle.

 

It was appalling organisation and it sickens me to hear the police federation rep say they were brilliant.

 

Modern society prefers spin to taking responsibility or at least the former is always tried before the latter is contemplated.

 

You could understand it or 'wear it' in some areas but the Polis isn't one of them.

Edited May 23, 2016 by buster.