‘I witnessed Celtic and Rangers violence – I’ve never felt so unsafe’ | Football | Sport

A distraught Celtic supporter present at Ibrox has disclosed his unsettling experience as Hoops fans and their Rangers counterparts participated in a pitch invasion. Celtic follower Graham refused to excuse the club he supports, expressing concern that the emerging ultra culture amongst both sets of fans has fundamentally transformed one of football’s most iconic rivalries.

Both groups of supporters have faced condemnation for their appalling behaviour following Martin O’Neill’s side’s 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory which eliminated Rangers from the Scottish Cup. The incidents included physical attacks, pyrotechnics being thrown, hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages, and abhorrent graffiti mocking Ibrox disaster victims scrawled across the Broomloan Stand.

This devoted Celtic supporter was horrified by what unfolded before, throughout and following a fixture that will probably result in significant consequences for away fans, as the first complete away allocation in eight years concluded in shame.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Graham said: “Celtic were really poor yesterday, and I think that’s what [triggered] the end of the game. You are in there from half 10, you are in there two-and-a-half hours before the game.

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“You then win the game. People spilled onto the pitch, but it wasn’t toxic at that point. You saw in the Kilmarnock game, as well, there were Celtic fans on the pitch. I think Rangers and Aberdeen was exactly the same, these things are happening in Scottish football. Where is the security at those points?

“I’m not sure who pays for what with security in Scottish football. You know at that point, one team has to win on penalties.

“Why is security not covering both sections at that point? I know they are not able to cover the full ground. You’ve got two big sections there, obviously the Rangers section, where the ultras sing, and the Celtic section.

“Those are the two sections that needed to be covered.

“That is probably the unsafest I’ve felt coming away from a ground. Outside the ground, even before kick-off, there was stuff getting thrown in from both sections. As I said, you are getting penned in there from half 10 in the morning, you are getting pushed in.

“That is the same when Rangers fans are going to Parkhead as well. It spilled over, I heard you saying ‘sing your songs for 90 minutes,’ but that isn’t happening any more.

“People are covering their faces and running onto the pitch.”