Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist has condemned the intimidation campaign targeted on Neil Lennon.
The Celtic boss was sent another devise which police described as being designed to maim. As well as Lennon, Paul McBride QC and MSP Tricia Godman were also targeted in the latest wave of attacks.
Sunday’s Rangers-Celtic match will be the most closely scrutinised clash of the season between the two clubs with McCoist pleading for an end to the campaign of hate against Lennon.
“Like any other normal hum being I’m absolutely appauled by it,” the Rangers assistant said. “It’s bizarre and crazy that people can’t go about their normal working life without others sending these devices.
“I think that no matter what I say or do, or others say or do, I don’t think it would have a major effect on these people. To be quite frank they are sick individuals that require to be caught by the poilice.
“Obviuosly you’d appeal to them not to do these things but I think that these individuals are hellbent on causing trouble and widespread damage.
“When something like this happened it just hits home, it’s appauling and sandalous. The sad thing is that I don’t think these individuals will listen.”
McCoist and Lennon famously squared upto each other after Celtic’s 1-0 win over Rangers in the Scottish Cup but the Ibrox No. 2 was quick to dismiss notions that there was a grudge between the two men.
He added: “There is absolutely no way on this earth that we hate each other- far from it.
“We’ve seen each other socially as well as in a working situation. We have jobs to do, we have a conflict of interest but there always has been and always will be a healthy respect for each other.
“There has to be healthy respect for each other, not just between players and coaches but indeed fans as well.
“We always share a bottle of beer or a glass of wine after a game. There is absolutely no problem at all and I think that it’s sad if some people think that. I know that the vast majority of people know that is not the case.
“Whoever is involved in this is evil, it’s absolutely evil. It’s an evil act. I’m appauled and saddened that this has taken place in Scottish football.
“On the park we obviously have our differences, that’s the beauty of the game, you don’t agree with everything that is said and done but you hope that it’s conducted in the correct manner.”
Stewart Regan responds to attacks on Neil Lennon.
Not wanting to be a pedant, but I think you’ll find these were actually OLD FIRM bombs.
as far as im concerned all this condemnation from rangers, the police, the sfa, politicians and media is too little too late. the person(s) doing this have already been made fully aware by these groups that they are reluctant and scared to address the problem, the people who started off booing lennon when he 1st played for celtic were not condemned for booing him because he was a northern irish catholic, they were supported in their excuse that “he is just one of them players” it was widely accepted that the bigots could target lennon and the media would peddle out the “one of them players” excuse for them while the sfa, police and politicians sat back and refused to address the fact he was at the centre of a sectarian hate campaign. it continued to get worse when he took over as manager, with the sfa unable to even hide their allegiance to rangers as they also began to target him at every possible opportunity, the problem has escalated because nobody had the inclination or balls to stand up to rangers.
The despicable ‘hello hello we are the killie boys’ even booed when the Celtic fans showed their support for Lenny in the 18th minute of last nights game.
Scotland dirty wee secret shame indeed!
The fact that the huns have been screwing Her Majesty auld Lizzie out of her rightful dough for over a decade speaks volumes.
I think Celtic FC having payed their rightful tax dues to the old dear, dilligently, over the same period also speaks just as loudly.
The fact that these scumbags would also send lethal bombs to not only one of her majesties members of parlement but one of her own QUEENS counsels is quite deafening in the fact that they respect NOTHING in their road to degredation and shame.
A club that has brought so much SHAME on the islands they say they love so much, to such an extent that they are more or less banned from playing anywhere outside Scotland only but for the same type of bigoted sectarian clubs in the north of Ireland.
I’m not holding my breath, but maybe, just maybe, this poor, vile, disgusting so called football club is finally being shown up and recognised as the despicable cesspool it is.