The worst of us comes out at a football match: Strachan urges lasting Old Firm away-fan ban

Glasgow, 9 March 2026 — Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has demanded that away supporters be barred indefinitely from Old Firm fixtures after violent scenes marred Celtic’s 4-2 penalty-shootout victory over Rangers in Saturday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox.

The match, goalless through 120 minutes, erupted into chaos when jubilant Celtic fans spilled from the Broomloan Road Stand onto the pitch. Home supporters soon followed, prompting skirmishes that required a heavy police response. Nine arrests have been made for offences ranging from assault on a police officer to attacks on a coach and player, while investigators are reviewing vandalism, graffiti and pyrotechnics thrown inside the ground.

Strachan, speaking to Covers.com World Cup betting, questioned the wisdom of reintroducing travelling support after a six-year absence. “It’s great to see two different sets of colours in the ground during an Old Firm game – but is it really worth it?” he asked. “I was personally happy when there was just one set of supporters in the stadium. I know I’m in the minority, but you’re putting police and staff at risk, and you’ve got fans running onto the pitch to attack people working there.”

Celtic were allocated roughly 7,500 seats under Scottish Cup regulations, the first time since 2018 that the club has received the full away allocation for a derby. The next league meeting later this season is expected to welcome around 2,500 travelling fans.

Strachan linked the volatility to a broader societal shift. “The world has become a nastier place in the past 30 years. Social media has made everything worse – some of the comments you see really are horrific and it builds up with both sides. When people who are saying these things to each other on social media eventually meet, this is what happens. I’m afraid the worst of us comes out at a football match, and it’s just not worth it.”

Neither Celtic nor Rangers has issued an official statement on the incidents or on Strachan’s proposal.