Danny 9 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 I was doing some further research into this subject, and it seems it STILL isn't known who is ultimately to blame for it.Some accounts suggest we really let ourselves down, and ruined the night for our great club.But others strongly point to the earlier events in Portugal with a pitch invasion which led to no violence - and suggest that it was overzealous Spanish police who caused the madness, and provoked the fans into violence rather than a good-natured invasion without a bitter undertaste.What is felt among you guys? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
minstral 5,375 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 talking to people who were at the game they said thousands of our fans ran on to the pitch to celebrate,and got caught up in fights with heavy handed spanish police who were hitting them with batons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab 73 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 talking to people who were at the game they said thousands of our fans ran on to the pitch to celebrate,and got caught up in fights with heavy handed spanish police who were hitting them with batons.What does that remind you of? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Artagnan 13,319 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Was it not Franco's fascist stormtroopers who were on duty that night ? They did not have the best reputation in the world. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
justiston 91 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Going by the reputaton of European police, it's obvious they are very heavy handed, and look for the slightest incident to use their batons, thousands of bevied Scots running onto the pitch, they had a field day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUEDIGNITY 33,647 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Civil guard were told it was alright to batter Proddies, but they got more than they bargained for. The scum ran on at euro final but that was ok they catholic and they knew we would do the same in Barcelona, so they had a go at us. Papers here again were shockin, they buried us ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
minstral 5,375 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Civil guard were told it was alright to batter Proddies, but they got more than they bargained for. The scum ran on at euro final but that was ok they catholic and they knew we would do the same in Barcelona, so they had a go at us. Papers here again were shockin, they buried us ! your right as our fans fought back and the police had a few injured that night. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dummiesoot 16,006 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 no doubt about it Ra Polis were to blame, don't let tim propoganda get to you bud! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza 21 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Wish I was old enough to have seen the game, never mind the trouble that followed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibroxblue 122 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 All the Rangers fans wanted to do was go on the pitch to celebrate (which was very common at the time). Why on earth would they want to do anything else, when their team had just won a European trophy? The kindest interpretation of the police's behaviour is that they panicked and lashed out - it might just be an accurate interpretation too. The Rangers fans fought back.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombieater 0 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 I remember hearing a very accurate account of what happened that great night from a radio interview with none other than a certain Archie McPherson.He stated he was sitting in the press box beside a gentleman who was working for Reuters and had no affiliation with any football team. In fact, he was'nt even a fan of the sport. According to McPherson, after the Rangers fans came on to the pitch, he noticed a large section of police were gathered in one of the corners. The leading officer at the front of their ranks raised a baton above his head momentarily. Eventually he dropped the baton, signalling his officers to charge the Rangers fans and begin an unprovoked baton charge.Now here's the thing. The gentleman from Reuters turned to McPherson and said something along the lines of 'what you are witnessing is classic behaviour from Franco's pro-axis, right wing, baton wielding thugs. I have seen these police tactics in other parts of Spain outwith football matches time and again. It is the only method of policing large crowds they use.'Not once did this gentleman, a complete neutral, label any blame at the Rangers fans that night. It was all about the police. I've travelled to Spain to support my club and to me the policing has'nt improved that much. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileyseye 0 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Yeah the fans were just looking for a fight after winning. Well the sheep were with us at a local boys club... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
THEFISH 0 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 No Rangers fan needs to explain themselves for that brutal attack on us by the greasy Spanish polis....Nobody messes with the Rangers Billy Boys......Barcelona 72, Hampden 80, oh and Newcastle 68-69 ! :classier_than_pipeguy: WE ARE THE PEOPLE NO SURRENDER Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
californiadreamin52 339 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 From someone who was actually there to my recollection we had invaded the pitch on at least three occasion two of which were to celebrate goals and the third was when we thought the game was over, but still had a few minutes to go before the ninety minutes were up. At the final whistle the Police had by now enough reinforcements and were waiting for us.It should be remembered there was no fencing or policing around the track to prevent the fans entering the field of play and drinking had been consumed most of the day and was also on sale inside the ground in fact you did not have to leave your seat as the came round with it. Possibly anyone who was there will have there own ideas or reason on what the final pitch invasion was for , it could have been we were watching a three goal lead slipping away and the fans were nervous or lame as it may seem the word had got around to go on the park in order to have a better view of the cup being presented in the main stand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermopylae 15,286 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 UEFA should have apologised for sending us to a fascist country Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saudibear 0 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 I was at the Sporting game in Lisbon that year but couldn't make it to the final but all the guys I traveled with in those days blamed it 100% on police over reaction to the Rangers fans celebrating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUEDIGNITY 33,647 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 No Rangers fan needs to explain themselves for that brutal attack on us by the greasy Spanish polis....Nobody messes with the Rangers Billy Boys......Barcelona 72, Hampden 80, oh and Newcastle 68-69 ! :classier_than_pipeguy: WE ARE THE PEOPLE NO SURRENDERAhhhhh Newcastle and Leeds, halcyon days indeed although we didn't go through either ties ! But we could fight like fcuk in them daze ! Come to think of it they were my first away trips in Europe! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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