Graham Spiers has made his stance clear following Rangers’ recent statement after their victory over Dundee United on Wednesday night.
Rangers faced Dundee United at Ibrox on May 14 in their final home fixture of the Premiership season. Although it’s been a difficult campaign overall, interim boss Barry Ferguson ensured the team ended on a high at home, securing a 3-1 win. The comeback featured a brace from Cyriel Dessers and a goal from Nicolas Raskin, overturning an early deficit.
However, the positive evening was overshadowed by the troubling actions of a Dundee United fan, who appeared to mock the Ibrox disaster—a tragedy in which 66 Rangers supporters lost their lives in 1971 during a match against Celtic.
Spiers Condemns Disrespectful Fan Behaviour
A supporter in the away section was seen holding up six fingers in what was widely interpreted as a sickening reference to the disaster’s death toll. He was also reportedly pointing at the ground, seemingly to antagonize the Rangers supporters further.
Rangers have since strongly condemned the act, calling it “deeply unsettling” and urging authorities to take appropriate action against the individual involved, as reported by The Herald.
Journalist Graham Spiers weighed in on the incident via his X (formerly Twitter) account on May 15, slamming the fan’s conduct and questioning the mindset behind such behavior.
“Why do football fans reduce themselves to these deplorable antics?” Spiers posted.
Rangers Seek Consequences for the Offender
The incident comes just over a week after a Celtic fan was caught engaging in similar behavior during the Old Firm derby at Ibrox on May 4. Celtic moved swiftly to ban the individual from Celtic Park for life, and he has since faced professional and legal consequences, including being dismissed by his employer and investigated by police.
It remains to be seen what action Dundee United or the authorities will take against the fan involved in the latest incident.
Sadly, taunts related to football tragedies continue to plague the British game, with multiple clubs grappling with similarly unacceptable behavior from sections of their support in recent months.
