Michael Stewart shoots down Rangers boss Steven Gerrard’s ‘best fans in the world’ claim
MICHAEL STEWART has shot down Steven Gerrard’s claim that Rangers have one of the best fanbases in the world.
The former Hearts and Hibs star delivered his verdict on the club’s Uefa sanctions on BBC Sportsound this afternoon.
The Light Blues were hammered yesterday by Uefa and ordered to close part of Ibrox for Thursday’s Europa League play-off second leg against Legia Warsaw.
Around 3,000 seats will remain empty after European football’s governing body found some Gers supporters guilty of racist behaviour during the recent home qualifier with St Joseph’s.
Stewart said: “Steven Gerrard says they’ve got a reputation for being one of the best supports in the world.
“Well I’m sorry, that’s not the case. Yes, they go and follow in numbers and they should be applauded for that.
“When you talk about the grand picture of one of the best supports in the world, then you can’t get involved in antics like this.
“Rangers supporters, as Willie [Miller] says, have been involved in this for a very long time.
“So you can’t class a support that does this sort of thing as one of the best in the world.
“That tarnishes reputations.”
Gers will face a full closure of Ibrox if sectarian singing is repeated.
And if there are any subsequent offences they could face points deductions, forfeiting a match and even expulsion from Uefa competition.
SunSport columnist Stewart sympathises with the fans who don’t sing sectarian songs.
He said: “I really do feel sorry for a lot of the Rangers supporters who want to go and support their club and don’t want to get involved in this
“It is tarnishing the name of their club. There are a lot of decent Rangers fans who want to condemn it and distance themselves from it.
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“That’s my point - if you deal with this head on, you start to drive a wedge between the ones that want to get involved in this stuff and the ones that don’t.
“Then it becomes an issue that doesn’t just disappear, it has to be dealt with continually.
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“But if you just sweep it under the carpet, people will turn a blind eye and look the other way.
“Of course you’ve got to feel sorry for the ones who just want to go and support their team.”