24/01/18 LADBROKES PREMIERSHIP.RANGERS v ABERDEEN.IBROX - GLASGOW .Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes issues instructions (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
A video clip from the 1990s has emerged showing Derek McInnes leading a fans event singing The Billy Boys.
Wearing a club blazer, shirt and tie the young McInnes is alongside Richard Gough, Iain Ferguson and Gordon Durie at what appears to be a supporters event.
In 2006 UEFA banned singing of the Billy Boys at their matches. Breaches of that rule and other racist issues has resulted in various sanctions applied.
UEFA have imposed away fan ticket bans, closed sections of Ibrox with the Copland Road currently under a suspended sentence.
Shamefully the SFA, SPFL and broadcasting partners have never taken any action over the repeated singing of the Billy Boys.
1999 same again.
And let’s be clear here, this chant was never ok at any time and isn’t part of some new enlightened thinking around the subject.Both Donald Findlay and Craig Brown were caught around 1999 and neither said ‘it’s just a ditty’. pic.twitter.com/0y5UEx6QJU
— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) May 1, 2026
McInnes was brought up in Paisley, in 1995 he was transferred to Rangers from Morton alongside Brian Reid.
That was at the height of the Ibrox lads culture created around Ally McCoist, Andy Goram and Ian Durrant. Paul Gascoigne fitted in straight away.
The team that drinks together they boasted also won together. It seems like they also sang together alongside other activities.
MCINNES ON STAGE WITH DONALD FINDLAY
Famously in 1999 Donald Findlay resigned as vice-Chairman after being caught on video singing the Billy Boys after a Scottish Cup Final victory.
McInnes and Neil McCann, both currently managing in the SPFL were part of the choir as they celebrated the ‘legend’ of the gangs from Bridgeton.
Back in 1989 BBC Scotland broadcast post match dressing room scenes of players and management singing the same song inside Tannadice.
McInnes and McCann have never commented on their appearance on stage at Finday’s stage show.
With four games to go in the SPFL Hearts are the only side that can say that they are four wins away from winning the title.
That run starts on Monday at home to Danny Rohl’s side who are on the back of a home defeat to Motherwell.
Sky Sports and BBC Scotland will both have access to McInnes for pre-match interviews.
Their refusal to question the Hearts boss on the video clip above highlights their role in backing the antics of McInnes, Ferguson, Durie, Gough and McCann.
