There is one thing that unites bitter Czech rivals Sparta and Slavia Prague.
It also unites most fans of Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and Dundee United.
Whether the word is hate, loathe or detest the sentiment is the same when it comes to views on the club formed by Charles Green in 2012 and parachuted into the Third Division of the Scottish Football League ahead of proper clubs like Spartans, Edinburgh City and Kelty Hearts.
Over on the Rangers Review, the digital arm of The Herald, Glasgow Times and The National, they like to go into things in some depth, dispersing with the formalities of covering the diddy clubs and straight into all things Blue and White.
To provide a look into Thursday’s match against Sparta Prague, Derek Clark arranged a Zoom call with a reporter based in Prague. The self confessed Hamilton fan was shocked by what he was told!
“Rangers has become a universally hated club in the Czech Republic…”
Rangers back in Prague midweek for the 3rd year running.
Relations not good, there was some bad blood as fans of Rangers and Scottish journalists were calling an entire nation and it’s children racist. pic.twitter.com/76jwDs7BA2
— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) October 24, 2023
The issues date back to March 2021 and a Europa League tie between Slavia Prague and Steven Gerrard’s side.
After a 1-1 draw in the Czech Republic it all turned very nasty at Ibrox after Peter Oladeji Olayinka put the visitors into an early lead.
Just past the hour mark Kemar Roofe committed a brutal assault on the Sparta goalkeeper and was sent off, soon after Leon Balogun was also sent off after picking up his second yellow card. Sparta scored their second goal soon after to cruise through on a 3-1 aggregate.
To put that in context no Scottish referee has sent off a home player at Ibrox since September 2019, with Celtic leading 2-0 a frustrated Bobby Madden red carded Jordan Jones in the 89th minute for a brutal assault on Moritz Bauer.
Late on in the defeat from Slavia there was an incident involving Glen Kamara, for a fortnight the Ibrox club became anti-racism activists, even attempting to stay off social media for 48 hours before normal service was resumed.
City rivals Sparta go into Thursday’s match against Philippe Clement’s side on top of Group C on goals scored ahead of ARIS Limassol.
That shocking photo of Roofe – yes, assaulting the keeper – should be circulated
on a regular basis, as long as there is an ibrox club.
It encapsulates everything sevco stands for;
A total disregard for the opposition,
a total disregard for the game and Scottish football specifically,
a belief that rules don’t really apply to them, [on and off the pitch],
a belief that any outrageous behaviour is justifiable, if it furthers sevco’s aims
a belief that match officials are there to favour sevco, [in Scotland anyway].
a club which which doesn’t apologise, learn, or try to be better.
If Roofe had assaulted that keeper as a CFC player,
I would like to think that my club would have punted Roofe at the very
next transfer window.
Of course, 4 years later Roofe is still in the sevco team!
They’re hated here, They’re hated there…
They’re hated every fcukin where…
You can go to any country in this big bad world…
And there are dedicated haters of The Sevco !
Oh yes they are, (Oh yes they are)
Oh yes they are, (Oh yes they are)
Just a wee “dedicated ‘follow’ follower” verse to sing as Sevco get hammered in Prague and their fans likely get hammered in Prague as well !