RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Celtic and Rangers will play their next home ties in the Scottish Cup behind closed doors. <p>The Scottish FA has issued the punishment following the <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13515614/celtic-beat-rangers-in-dramatic-penalty-shoot-out-in-scottish-cup-quarter-final-overshadowed-by-crowd-trouble">crowd trouble which marred last season's quarter-final</a> at Ibrox.</p><p>The two Glasgow teams will also have to pay the visiting side for their next home Scottish Cup fixture \u00a3100,000.</p><ul><li><a href="https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/pl-wsl-spfl-article-referral" target="_blank"><strong>Got Sky? Watch Scottish Premiership games on your phone</strong></a></li><li><a href="https://www.nowtv.com/plans/new/sports?DCMP=ilc_skysports_SPFLHLsBlogsticky" target="_blank"><strong>Not got Sky? Stream Scottish Premiership games flexibly on your phone</strong></a></li></ul><p>A second match stadium closure will be triggered if there is any trouble at a Scottish Cup fixture until the end of the 2027/28 season.</p><p>It follows their Scottish Cup match at Ibrox in March when fans clashed on the pitch after a penalty shoot-out win for Celtic.</p><h3>What happened at Ibrox?</h3><widget id="11"></widget><p>This was the first Old Firm game at Ibrox since 2018 where Celtic were given the full Broomloan Stand, meaning there were around 7,500 away fans at the game. That figure was agreed to comply with Scottish Cup rules on ticket allocations.</p><p>The league match between Rangers and Celtic the previous weekend had around 2,500 away fans after an agreement between clubs to give around five per cent of stadium capacity to away teams for this fixture.</p><p>That followed seasons of reduced allocations, or at times no away fans at games.</p> <widget id="12"></widget><p>Celtic progressed to the semi-finals with a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Rangers after the goalless draw at Ibrox, which sparked a pitch invasion from both sets of supporters.</p><p>Some visiting fans spilled onto the playing surface to celebrate after the winning spot-kick and supporters from the Rangers end charged towards them with fireworks thrown back and forth.</p><p>A total of 43 arrests have now been made in connection.</p><h3>SFA told to get tough</h3><p>An independent review into the scenes previously concluded that "crushing" and "life-threatening violence" were narrowly avoided.</p><p>The report, led by Mark Blackbourne, found: "The Celtic Ultras were the first to enter the pitch in jubilation, with others following their lead.</p><p>"In contrast, the Union Bears' movement onto the track and towards the pitch was reactionary, confrontational, and overtly threatening. In both cases, the proximity of these groups to the playing surface materially increased the likelihood of a mass incursion and contributed to the rapid escalation of disorder.</p><p>"The post-match pitch invasion by several hundred Celtic supporters was wholly inexcusable. It provoked an immediate hostile response from sections of the home support, who forced past stewards and police to reach the pitch."</p> <widget id="16"></widget><p>Mr Blackbourne also noted it is "deeply disturbing" that a post-match Glasgow City Council Special SAG meeting recorded that time-served Police Scotland officers were described as "petrified" of policing another match at Ibrox Stadium.</p><p>He added: "That word must be read in context, not in isolation, but so qualified, it remains deeply disturbing for Scottish football.</p><p>"This reference demands the most serious attention from all parties with responsibility for the governance of safety and security at major football fixtures in Scotland."</p><p>Interviewees independently described the organisational characteristics of certain Ultra groups in terms more commonly associated with organised crime groups in the report.</p><p>The report called for incidents linked to Ultra groups to come down with heavier sanctions from the clubs.</p><h3>Celtic 'shocked' by sanctions</h3><p>Celtic say they are "shocked by this disproportionate punishment for a relatively small incursion by Celtic supporters at a moment of emotion and celebration".</p> <widget id="18"></widget><p>They added that "another important distinction is that, on this occasion, Celtic were not the home club, responsible for stadium safety arrangements".</p><p>Their statement ends by saying they will "study the panel's report and reasoning when it is available and will thereafter consider our next steps".</p><h3>Identical punishments</h3> <widget id="14"></widget><p><em>Sky Sports' Gordon Duncan:</em></p><p>"There were wide-ranging accusations about all sorts of misdemeanours. Crowd trouble before, during and after the game. Fans without tickets forcing their way in. Graffiti and damage to the stadium. The list goes on and on.</p><p>"Now the punishments have been handed out.</p><p>"Last month, there was an independent enquiry about what went on and the ugly scenes and as part of that one of the recommendations was that the Scottish FA were encouraged to look at more immediate and severe punishments. It's safe to say, that's exactly what has happened.</p><p>"Scottish football often exists in a blame game about who did what and all the mitigating factors, but both have been handed the same punishment."</p> <widget id="15"></widget> <widget id="19"></widget>
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