GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 17: SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster shakes hands with Rangers' James Tavernier and Rangers Manager Philippe Clement during the Viaplay Cup Final match between Rangers and Aberdeen at Hampden Park, on December 17, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)
The SPFL has charged three clubs over the use of Pyro at the League Cup semi-finals but taken no action over singing of The Billy Boys and other anti Catholic and anti-Irish chanting from fans of one of the clubs involved.
It seems logical to conclude that Neil Doncaster is quite comfortable with having racism aired at matches controlled by the SPFL with the Billy Boys specifically outlawed by UEFA in 2006.
In 2019 UEFA twice closed parts of Ibrox for their matches due to the racist nature of songs from the home fans, covering over 100 years and two clubs the SFA and SPFL have taken no action on the ‘songbook’ that is banned from European football matches.
Following the delays caused to the start of both of last month’s League Cup semi-finals the SPFL announced this morning:
The SPFL can today confirm Celtic, Motherwell and Rangers have been charged with a breach of SPFL rules following the behaviour of their supporters at the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.
It was fantastic to have over 80,000 supporters attend last month’s semi-finals, however, the large-scale, organised and illegal pyrotechnics displays which were carried out by a small minority of supporters before the Celtic v Aberdeen and Motherwell v Rangers matches were totally unacceptable.
This irresponsible behaviour by a minority of fans led to a 14 minute delay to Celtic v Aberdeen, a 5 minute delay to Motherwell v Rangers and caused significant inconvenience to thousands of fans at the game and to supporters watching worldwide.
The SPFL, Scottish FA, Police Scotland and other organisations have been clear that such use of pyrotechnics is illegal and poses clear dangers and health and safety risks to fellow supporters, players and those working at matches.
There have been a number of complaints from supporters about these incidents and the SPFL and Scottish FA have been in ongoing discussions with the clubs involved in the weeks since the semi-finals.
The SPFL can now confirm that Celtic, Motherwell and Rangers have all been issued with formal notices of complaint under SPFL Rule H34 and each club will face a disciplinary hearing. Preparations are ongoing ahead of the Premier Sports Cup Final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park next week, as the SPFL prepares to welcome a capacity crowd for one of the highlights of the Scottish sporting calendar.
The SPFL and Scottish FA will continue to work closely with the finalists in the build up to this showpiece occasion to reinforce the importance of ensuring a safe and enjoyable match day experience for all supporters, in the context of what is now an ongoing disciplinary process.
It is unclear what action if any that the SPFL will take against any of the named clubs, the same songs and chants will be heard at the final on December 15 as Doncaster and his cronies count up the money from ticket and hospitality sales.
Doncaster was CEO of the SPL in 2012 when he produced the Five Way Agreement providing Scotland’s newest club with a separate set of rules.
I blame the schools
They are all orange bastards. HH
The 5 Way Agreement has Doncaster signature on it as well Liewell,it’s the ace up the sleeve that sevco can whip out anytime the SFA/SPFL or Celtic even think about trying to rock the boat.
what are aberdeen doing about the payment they are long overdue ?.
They are doing The Square Root of Fuck All scousebhoy…
As they are pure shit scared of Sevco as are the rest of Scottish Football with the exception of The Late great Turnbull Hutton !
That just proves there is still money to be made from Bigotry and sectarian singing here in wee Scawlin? There obviously is a market out there for the Troglodyte behaviour …it’s part of the dinner menu alongside the succulent lamb
Well the one thing you can guarantee is that some muppet like Keevins or Leckie will now propose a points deduction- which would be quite interesting, given the offences occurred at cup matches!
Also I’m sure the sheep had a few pyros too, so why leave them out? And need i point out the contradiction inherent in ‘a large-scale, organised display of pyrotechnics being carried out by a small minority of supporters’?!! That’s right up there with their press release about Jota ‘receiving the ball in an offside position’! They really are imbeciles. Especially Doncaster. All this does is guarantee that the Cup Final will have more pyro at it than anyone has ever seen.
There’s no chance the songbook will be brought up.none.i say they can sing what they like as long as they are struck silent when game is over on Sunday