Celtic clash thrown into controversy after Rangers incident prompts SFA call

Keith Hackett has urged the Scottish FA to contact Rangers after a controversial tifo was displayed by supporters before their 3-0 Premier Sports Cup victory over Celtic.

The Rangers fans unveiled the display in the Copland Road before kick-off, depicting a notorious confrontation between former Rangers midfielder Ian Ferguson and Mike Galloway.

Ferguson was shown grabbing Galloway by his shirt during the incident, with the former Celtic player having sadly passed away earlier this year.

The display has already attracted criticism, with Hackett now calling for the SFA to get involved despite Rangers having previously condemned the incident.

Police ultimately decided that the banner did not amount to a criminal offence, while the SFA did not take action at the time.

The latest controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny around supporter behaviour at Old Firm matches. Celtic fans were not permitted to attend Sunday’s fixture at Ibrox, with away supporters banned from all Old Firm games this season following repeated crowd disorder.

Rangers are also facing the prospect of playing a Scottish Cup home fixture behind closed doors later in the campaign.

Hackett believes the latest incident could therefore lead to further contact between Rangers and the SFA, with the former Premier League referee questioning whether the governing body should address what was displayed inside Ibrox.

The Rangers supporters’ display came before an emphatic victory on the pitch, as Dan Neil scored twice and Kevin Kelsy added another to send Derek McInnes’ side into the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.

The Gers produced a dominant performance to eliminate Celtic, but the fallout from the pre-match tifo could now create another talking point away from the football itself.