Why Celtic is perfectly correct to appeal Scottish FA’s ‘Old Firm’ sanction
Celtic has appealed against the Scottish FA sanction ordering the club to play our next home game in the Scottish Cup behind closed doors with the £100k fine that the club has been order to pay the opponent in that game has also been appealed…
Celtic has also been warned that they face a second punishment of another game being played behind closed doors if there is further unacceptable conduct for supporters.
The appeal from the club argues that the punishment is disproportionate and points out that Celtic were NOT the home club in the Scottish Cup quarter final win over the Rangers at IBROX and accordingly had no control over the match plan and how that was implemented.
8th March 2026 Ibrox , Scottish Cup Quarter Final. Rangers versus Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
Clearly there was a lack of police officers and stewards trackside and that allowed for much easier access to the pitch for celebrating Celtic supporters and an angry masked Rangers mob looking for trouble and set to cause a riot.
The appeal hearing will now be heard on Monday 26th October, with the latest Ibrox club also appealing their own identical punishment. Celtic supporters spilled onto the park in celebration after a dramatic penalty shootout victory before a large number of masked and armed Rangers supporters ran the length of the pitch with violent intent.
Asking any reasonable person to view the scenes below and expecting them conclude that it’s a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other is fanciful to say the least.
A Celtic official was assaulted by a Rangers pitch invader, pyrotechnics were launched into the Broomloan Road stand which was housing around 8000 celebrating Celtic supporters while police officers and stewards were assaulted by Rangers supporters. Celtic buses were attacked after the match with one Celtic supporter almost killed as three Ibrox thugs kicked him while on the ground and jumped on his head.
Astonishingly when the initial punishment was dished out the two clubs were conveniently lumped together to suffer equal sanctions as the Scottish FA re-enacted their old ‘Old Firm’ rationale – both as bad as each other.
8th March 2026 Ibrox , Scottish Cup, Rangers versus Celtic Celtic fans wait at the police cordon. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
That ignored the violence from the home fans, the attack on a member of Celtic’s staff, the assaults on police officers and stewards by Rangers fans and the entirely inadequate match planning from the home side that could have caused a serious life threatening crush outside the Broomloan stand as supporters tried to enter through heavily restricted channels.
The scales of justice point to a much heavier punishment for the Ibrox outfit who failed to stage the match safely.
8th March 2026 Ibrox , Scottish Cup Quarter Final. Rangers versus Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
Clearly Celtic’s punishment should be proportionately less and it’s fair to say that had the game been at Celtic Park the planning would have been significantly better. Those failing from the Ibrox club are outlined in the Scottish FA commissioned Independent report and Celtic will go through these line by line at the appeal.
What is the point of producing such an important document if the Scottish FA themselves fail to act on its findings?
At the time Celtic had this to say when news broke about the sanctions that the Scottish FA had imposed on both Celtic and the Rangers:
“We are shocked by this disproportionate punishment for a relatively small incursion by Celtic supporters at a moment of emotion and celebration.
“Our club has never defended supporters entering the field of play and we have repeatedly taken action when it occurs.
8th March 2026; Ibrox Scottish Cup, Rangers versus Celtic; Celtic fans throw ticker tape before kick off. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
“However, we understand the part emotion plays in football and would have expected the context and distinction in behaviours to have been taken into account by the panel.
“Another important distinction is that, on this occasion, Celtic were not the home club, responsible for stadium safety arrangements.
“We will study the panel’s report and reasoning when it is available and will thereafter consider our next steps.”
8th March 2026 Ibrox , Scottish Cup Quarter Final. Rangers versus Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
Celtic isn’t getting much right at the moment but on this one they are totally justified in appealing and indeed in taking this as far as necessary.
The fact that the Scottish FA actually believes that an equal punishment is merited regardless of the actual findings of the thorough and accurate report that they themselves commissioned is beyond belief.
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