Rangers v Celtic review: Two 'near misses', planning inadequacies, Ultras condemned and both clubs charged

Celtic and Rangers face disciplinary charges over the fan disorder during their Scottish Cup quarter-final match at Ibrox earlier this year - with an independent review reporting that two “near misses” occurred that could have led to casualties.

The Scottish Football Association has published its independent review into the March 8 tie and have issued identical notices of complaints to both clubs, who are accused of breaching the SFA’s rule 37, which centres on “good order and security” and “unacceptable conduct”.

The rule covers “policies and procedures” and whether clubs take appropriate measures to identify and deal with supporters who engage in unacceptable conduct.

Rangers and Celtic fans storm on to the pitch during the March 8 derby at Ibrox. | SNS Group

Rule 37 reads in full: “A club playing a match at its own ground, or allowing its ground to be used for a match in which it is not participating, or a club using a third party’s ground for the playing of a match in which it is participating must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, (i) good order and security; (ii) that policies and procedures have been adopted and are implemented to prevent instances of Unacceptable Conduct; and (iii) that any instance of Unacceptable Conduct is effectively dealt with on the occasion of a match.

“Each club participating in a match must also ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that its players, officials, supporters and any person exercising a function for or in connection with the club do not engage in Unacceptable Conduct at any ground on the occasion of a match. Each club must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that it identifies any of its supporters who engage in Unacceptable Conduct at a match take proportionate disciplinary measures in respect of such supporters.”

The clubs face hearings on August 13.

There were supporter clashes on the pitch after Celtic won a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-final encounter on March 8 following a goalless draw. Some visiting fans spilled onto the playing surface to celebrate after the winning spot-kick and more than 100 supporters from the Rangers end charged towards them with fireworks thrown back and forth.

At least 37 people have been arrested over the trouble, which saw police and stewards injured.

The SFA launched an independent review in the aftermath of the match and the findings, led by Mark Blackbourne, were published on Tuesday afternoon.

Rangers v Celtic report findings

The 37-page document details the events of March 8 and the lead-up to the Old Firm clash, which came seven days after a Premiership fixture between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox.

The review concluded that two “near misses” occurred on March 8. Firstly, “masked home fans armed with poles and reinforced gloves came within a very small margin of a violent mass confrontation. The four minutes twenty-eight seconds for the Police to re-establish control was a period in which life-threatening violence was possible”.

Secondly, “Outside the stadium: non-compliant supporters surging past police and stewards created real and foreseeable crushing risk at the Broomloan Road search lanes.”

Mr Blackbourne wrote that “both must be treated with the same seriousness that actual casualties would have demanded.”

The review also pointed out planning inadequacies to the build-up to the match, a ticket row between the two clubs, noted the part played by Ultras groups Union Bears, The Green Brigade and The Bhoys, and reports that “petrified” police officers and stewards have raised concerns about working at such fixtures again.

There was also condemnation of how an injury to a ten-year-old boy was attended to by medical staff inside Ibrox.

The full document can be read here as well as Mr Blackbourne’s recommendations for future matches of such magnitude and risk.

Rangers released a statement later on Tuesday afternoon, stating that they “accept responsibility for the areas within the club’s control”. However, they also took umbrage at some of the finding within the review.

“Rangers has received the independent review into the match against Celtic on 8 March 2026,” read the Ibrox club’s statement. “The disorder witnessed that day was unacceptable. The club unreservedly condemns those who forced entry, entered the field of play, engaged in violence, used pyrotechnics or threw missiles, vandalised the stadium, burned tifo materials or directed abhorrent abuse at the victims of the Ibrox Disaster.

“We recognise the distress caused to supporters, staff and others affected and the professionalism of the police officers and stewards as they restored order on the day.

Stewards head onto the pitch as fans storm the pitch. | SNS Group

“Rangers engaged fully with the independent review and accepts responsibility for the areas within the club’s control. We will implement the lessons learned and recommendations required to strengthen our arrangements. We expect the same accountability from others involved.

“It is important that the preparations undertaken ahead of that fixture are recognised. First, we asked for the existing agreement between Rangers and Celtic on away ticket allocations for the past two seasons to be respected. We also set out clear safety concerns about departing from that approach, but the increased allocation proceeded. Our operational plan for the match was materially enhanced to reflect the allocation and subsequent risks identified. Our preparations also included increased stewarding and ticket checks, additional resources at turnstiles and exits, revised arrival arrangements and measures to tackle attempted doubling-up and forced entry.

“Despite this, our plan, prepared with the authorities, was severely tested by those determined to cause disorder. As a result, the events nevertheless demonstrated that further action is required.

“We will put in place measures to strengthen planning and safety for high-risk fixtures.

“The Board will oversee the changes and recommendations being implemented.

“Supporters will be engaged directly in this work including through the Fan Advisory Board.”

The statement went on: “While we support some of the report’s recommendations, we do not accept every finding or factual assertion it contains. We have and will continue to raise concerns with the Scottish FA about significant aspects of the independent report.

“We are concerned about the description and limited examination of the decision to allocate around 8,000 tickets to Celtic, which materially changed the risk profile of the fixture. We raised safety concerns but were left in no doubt that the competition rule would be applied and the increased allocation was expected to proceed.

“The independent review should have scrutinised the Scottish FA's actions as robustly as those of clubs and other organisations. This is a significant omission.

“The report also proposes a pathway towards a return to full away allocations between Rangers and Celtic. This was not part of the terms of reference of this report and does not reflect our position. We have no plans to restore historic Old Firm allocations at Ibrox.

“Instead, we call on the Scottish FA to review its own ticket allocation rules and policies, and how they are implemented, in light of the lessons arising from this match.”

Rangers’ full statement can be read here.

Celtic interim chairman Brian Wilson released a statement via the club’s website and reiterated the Parkhead outfit’s stance that the “small incursion” from its fans was not a major incident while saying that they do not “shrink from criticisms within the report.

“This is a thorough piece of work which provides all parties involved with food for thought and action,” said Wilson.

“We welcome the repeated emphasis on the primacy of safety above all other considerations, a message consistent with Celtic’s approach in all it does.

“Celtic made its strong objections to important elements of matchday planning very clear, well in advance of the match.

“While we remain in dispute regarding certain points within this review, our club does not shrink from criticisms contained in the report or the lessons to be drawn. Nobody should, since the potential implications of disregarding them are obviously serious, both for safety and for football.

“We continue to believe that the non-violent incursion by a small number of Celtic supporters following the conclusion of the Scottish Cup quarter-final was not, in itself, a major or threatening incident.

“However, the actions by a section of the home support, some of them masked and carrying weapons, and subsequent attacks on our supporters and staff, were deeply concerning and we remain puzzled as to why the actions recommended by the Safety Advisory Group of Glasgow City Council were overturned at a senior level within Police Scotland.

“This has left a vacuum in the role previously understood by consent to be occupied by the Safety Advisory Group. Accordingly, we welcome the recommendation that the status of Safety Advisory Groups should be formalised and strengthened.

“While this was, of course, an away fixture for Celtic, we will seek to learn lessons of value to our own operations and co-operate fully with the authorities in doing so."

In response to the review, the SFA’ s chief executive Ian Maxwell said: “On behalf of the board I would like to thank the Review Lead, Mark Blackbourne, for producing such a comprehensive independent review and accompanying recommendations, which we will consider in full and seek to implement stated recommendations in conjunction with relevant stakeholders.

“Whilst this is now a live matter for an independent Judicial Panel to consider, the Scottish FA wishes to reiterate that the scenes witnessed during the cup tie, and subsequently investigated by our Review Lead, should have no place in our game.

“We will work together with the SPFL, clubs, Police Scotland and Scottish Government to ensure no repeat of the events that tarnished the image and reputation of the game. We will also seek to reassure the majority of fans who attend matches responsibly that showpiece occasions such as these should be enjoyed safely in future.”