Skip to main contentAccess keys helpA-Z index

[an error occurred while processing this directive]
watch listenBBC SportBBC Sport
Low graphics|Help
---------------
---------------
CHOOSE A SPORT
 
RELATED BBC SITES
Last Updated: Tuesday, 20 March 2007, 22:26 GMT
Rangers consider away ticket ban
Rangers fans clash with police in Pamplona
Rangers fans clashed with police in Pamplona
Rangers are considering refusing tickets for away games in European competition as part of the club's drive to eradicate sectarianism.

The club's chief executive Martin Bain met representatives from the Rangers Supporters Assembly on Tuesday.

Uefa is investigating an internet clip allegedly showing some Rangers fans singing sectarian songs against Osasuna in last Wednesday's Uefa Cup tie.

Ibrox fans also relayed their concerns to Bain over segregation and policing.

BBC Scotland football correspondent Chick Young, who was at Ibrox for Tuesday's meeting, said refusing tickets for next season's away games in Europe was one option under consideration.

We want to have the clarity we've been after for a while

Rangers Trust spokesman
David Edgar

He said the club and the fans were unhappy over the segregation for last Wednesday's game in Spain.

Supporters were also concerned about what they felt was heavy-handed policing inside the stadium.

Jim Templeton, President of the Rangers Supporters Assembly hopes the club won't ban fans from travelling to European matches next season.

Templeton feels this would punish the majority of the club's good fans because of the actions of a minority.

He told BBC Scotland: "We had reservations in as much the feeling would be that we were going to penalise the many good Rangers supporters for the sake of a few who simply don't know how to behave themselves.

"Right now absolutely nothing has been decided whatsoever.

"We will mull things over and meet with the club again next week."

Templeton echoed the sentiments of club chairman David Murray by saying there's no place for the "FTP" Brigade at Ibrox anymore.

"There's absolutely no doubt that the supporters organisations fully back the club in their stance in trying to eradicate this problem."

Uefa's Security Advisory Board is set to investigate footage posted on the internet which appears to show Rangers fans singing sectarian songs after the Osasuna game.

Uefa will make a decision in the next three weeks on whether Rangers face charges.

Meanwhile, Rangers Trust spokesman David Edgar has outlined plans for an initiative to discuss the Ibrox club's identity.

Edgar said Rangers supporters and club officials would be invited to join a forum, entitled 'Gers Pride', to discuss a variety of issues.

Rangers fans
Fans of the Ibrox club will get the chance to join the forum

He said: "We want to have the clarity we've been after for a while.

"Then it's just a case of the club supporting the vast majority of the Rangers support who want nothing more than success for their club."

Edgar said that representatives from Show Racism the Red Card, local politicians and academics would also be encouraged to join the debate in the summer on the subject of the Ibrox club's identity in the 21st century.

And John McMillan, secretary of the Rangers Supporters Clubs, called for bigoted fans to be jailed.

He said: "The club and the majority of the supporters have done their damnedest to eradicate this kind of thing.

"Now these morons have come out with this nonsense and I really don't know what can be done to sort this out now.

"I just hope the pictures are clear enough that Rangers can identify some of these people because they should be locked up and left to lie in jail.

"It's an absolute disgrace and heaven knows what Uefa will do about it - I'm frightened to even think about it."

SEE ALSO
Web clip shows 'sectarian abuse'
18 Mar 07 |  Glasgow and West
Taylor salutes bigotry clampdown
17 Mar 07 |  Rangers
Anti-bigotry report 'suppressed'
17 Mar 07 |  Scotland
Osasuna 1-0 Rangers (agg 2-1)
14 Mar 07 |  Europe
Rangers fans cleared of bigotry
12 Apr 06 |  Europe


RELATED BBC LINKS:

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Daily and weekly e-mails | Mobiles | Desktop Tools | News Feeds | Interactive Television | Downloads
Sport Homepage | Football | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Motorsport | Boxing | Athletics | Snooker | Horse Racing | Cycling | Disability sport | Olympics 2012 | Sport Relief | Other sport...

Help | Privacy & Cookies Policy | News sources | About the BBC | Contact us