Even in a time of national crisis Tom English felt the need to artificially stoke up the Glasgow footballing rivalry.
Over the last few days there has been a marked downturn in partisan comments and debate as the seriousness of the Coronavirus hits home.
The closure of schools on Friday highlighted the severity of the current situation. Later in the day pubs, restaurants, cinemas, gyms and theatres closed down for the last time alongside emergency measures introduced to support the economy.
The full extent of the situation has hit most people. Some friendly banter is being shared but there is no fierce debate about the outcome of this season’s title ‘race’. Fans know that it could be many months before they see their team in action, there is no guarantee that public fixtures will resume this year.
Picking up on that John Hartson suggested that Steven Gerrard’s club would emerge with great credit and dignity if there was no challenge to the SPFL following the lead of the Highland League and declaring the current places as the final positions on an exceptional season.
English’s natural position is to highlight controversy, stoke it up then revel in the fall out.
In normal circumstances it works fairly well but the events of the last week have been far from normal- not that BBC Scotland’s Chief Sports Writer has noted.
After covering Hartson’s comments on today’s Sportsound show on Radio Scotland The Sun reports:
But fellow pundit Tom English has ruled out the possibility of the Ibrox club making the move.
He also questioned whether Celtic could make a similar move in the name of sportsmanship by supporting the league be voided if it cannot be completed.
He said: “If we’re talking that Rangers could make this incredible gesture – could Celtic also make a gesture and say ‘the season is over its void’.
“There is as much chance of me building a rocket in my garden and flying to the moon this afternoon as either of those possibilities happening.”
Celtic are currently 13 points clear at the top of the SPFL table with eight matches left to play. Yesterday a report on the English based BBC website revealed that Neil Lennon’s side were 98.87% certain to win the 2019/20 title.
