Everybody is getting carried away with the blame game because the Rangers fans who took to the Hampden pitch on Saturday were clearly there just to protect their players.
They didn’t want any trouble!
Not buying it?
Well that’s what’s being alleged in the statement released by Rangers in the wake of the pandemonium that followed the Scottish Cup final last weekend.
“We acknowledge that a tiny minority of Rangers fans also encroached on the pitch but only after having been faced with prolonged and severe provocation and in order to protect our players and officials who were being visibly attacked in front of them. Any club’s supporters would have done the same.”
The statement is nothing short of bizarre as the Glasgow club point the finger wholly at Hibs’ supporters for provoking the Rangers fans into taking to the pitch.
“These fans were allowed to rush, unchecked, towards Rangers supporters at the opposite end of the stadium – all the while goading and threatening them. This makes it preposterous to suggest Rangers fans were somehow to blame as some commentators appear anxious to do.”
That Rangers statement in full pic.twitter.com/WbRDqEkUcU
— Ross McCafferty (@RossMcCaff) May 22, 2016
That latest statement, courtesy of Jim Traynor's battered keyboard, is brilliant. Entitled, arrogant and raging. The motto of The Rangers.
— Paul Larkin (@paullarkin74) May 22, 2016
Not content to just blame the Hibs fans, Rangers extraordinarily singled out certain reporters’ coverage and comments around the incident.
“BBC employees, in particular Stuart Cosgrove, believe Rod Petrie’s comments to be ‘balanced’ and others speak of a ‘minority’ of Hibernian supporters. Another, Tom English, who was not even at the match, would prefer the authorities to focus on Rangers fans’ reaction.”
You’d genuinely be excused for struggling to believe that this is an actual statement, appearing on Rangers’ actual website, but it is.
And you can read the whole thing right here.
Shambolic statement from Rangers. Singling out journalists and First Minister of Scotland is hardly a productive way of sorting out mess.
— Stefan Bienkowski (@SBienkowski) May 22, 2016
Rangers slam Hibernian for not asking about "wellbeing of those who were attacked by their club’s supporters" on Sat https://t.co/aP2llXKEJa
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) May 22, 2016
Rangers say fans went onto pitch "in order to protect our players and officials who were being visibly attacked in front of them" Mmm..
— Ewan Murray (@mrewanmurray) May 22, 2016
