I would step in to stop our fans going over the top, says McCoist

[Bazza 21]

I would step in to stop our fans going over the top, says McCoist

Ally McCoist has vowed to personally intervene if Rangers supporters are heard singing the crude songs which could scupper the club’s ambitions in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and Champions League. The Rangers assistant manager joined forces with Kenny Scott, the security chief, and Sandy Jardine, the former Rangers player, yesterday to urge supporters to desist from sectarian chanting in a renewed effort to improve the club’s image with Uefa and across the board.

McCoist admits that Rangers may never rid themselves of their sectarian element, but he has urged anyone with views which might be considered offensive to keep them private. Ibrox officials are aware and fearful of the potential for Rangers being docked points, fined or even thrown out of competitions due to the behaviour of supporters.

Asked whether he would take action during a match, McCoist said: “I’ve got to stop it, of course I would. If my club is going to get docked three points I think it’s the sensible thing to do, try to nip it in the bud straight away.â€

McCoist warned that supporters could cost Rangers their shot at glory if the minority continue to indulge in behaviour he insists they know is out of order. “They have to come on board and come with us. We’ve already had this warning from Uefa and it’s getting serious,†he said. “Once you start talking about getting points deducted – it’s a hard enough job trying to win cups and win leagues as it is.

“We just can’t afford any setbacks. Obviously we’ve been threatened with fines and things like that. We can’t afford it to happen. We’re proud as punch of the vast majority of Rangers fans. They’re fantastic. To a certain degree a lot of the fans can police themselves, because you do know what’s offensive and what’s not offensive, and we have to start singing the right songs.â€

McCoist, Jardine and Scott were promoting “Follow With Prideâ€, which follows the “Pride Over Prejudice†campaign. After two warnings in the way of fines from Uefa over supporter behaviour after games against Villarreal and Osasuna, Rangers are demanding their fans behave on the Champions League trip to Montenegro to face Zeta. The second leg of the second-round qualifying round tie takes place on August 7.

McCoist said: “We’re definitely heading in the right direction. We’re not out of the woods, we’ve not got everything perfect, and I don’t think we ever will. But as long as you can be seen to be moving in the right direction and doing the right things it helps.

“Anybody that’s going to sing a song that’s got a chance of us being deducted three points, you’d have to say that’s wrong. It was a lot more common years and years ago. As wrong as it was, there was nothing really getting done about it.

“Scottish football and the Old Firm have taken massive strides in an attempt to do what’s right, and they’ll continue to do that. I used to go to Rangers games and the atmosphere was fantastic. Times have changed and fans from all over the country can’t sing songs they were singing before, and that’s the way it is. It’s a step in the right direction we’ve taken, which means they can’t do that.

“We’re all sensible adults and make mistakes, but at the same time you know what’s right and what’s wrong. I don’t doubt for a minute there have been one or two mistakes made in the past and there’ll be one or two mistakes made in the future, but we’ve got to learn from that. Hopefully we’ll make Scottish football a better product and a better thing to watch in safer surroundings and happier surroundings.â€

Scott’s words echoed McCoist’s sentiments. The Rangers security and operations manager, who came to the club in May from his previous post as chief superintendent of Strathclyde Police, reminded supporters that Uefa and Scottish Premier League (SPL) officials will pay close attention to every match Rangers play. “No one is under any illusions,†he said. “Uefa have provided warnings about negative behaviour as a club over the past two seasons. We think the supporter behaviour will improve to the levels Uefa are looking for and we’re trying to encourage them. It’s not only the eyes of Uefa which are on Rangers this season. The SPL have issued new guidelines to clubs which talk about unacceptable conduct.â€

Jardine added: “What you’ve got to remember is you’ve got 80 years of sectarian issues. You’re not going to clear it overnight. It might take another five, 10, 15 years, I don’t know. But the club is determined to get on the right lines.â€

[ricksen_da_best 2,034]

he'll be signing next season in the dugout then..

" ohh big jock knew..ohh bij jock knew "

[Jasper 155]

Maybe someone should give us a list of songs we can sing

[Thermopylae 15,286]

This is all BS ... we live in the most sectarian society in Europe where the population is divided along sectarian lines at 5 years old and yet it's all supposed to be the fault of a football club

[MeAndMyWeePalJoe 17]

This is all BS ... we live in the most sectarian society in Europe where the population is divided along sectarian lines at 5 years old and yet it's all supposed to be the fault of a football club

You should visit Northern Ireland we are top of the league...

[Thermopylae 15,286]

Same root different branch

[MeAndMyWeePalJoe 17]

Same root different branch

:pipegreen:

[J-Maestro 11,026]

As long as we're only racist and not singing about catholics we'll be alright it seems. Well with the amount of shite other teams get away it seems like it. Spanish cannae take our songs but are happy to dish out the monkey chants. One Word PRICKS!!!

[Thermopylae 15,286]

It's ok to be racist if your from a big country, be from a small country with very little power or influence and you may be made an example of at a moments notice.

[CanadianGer 1]

If we put more cash in UEFA's coffers, we'd get away with calling the world's players monkeys. But seeing as we only believe in things like constitutional monarchy, our community, freedom of religion and quite honestly, a few lads getting out of hand and hammered, we get slated.

[Thermopylae 15,286]

This is very true but I think our bad relationship with the SFA and the media in this country makes our position at UEFA even more precarious. I mean lets face it septic for decades have backed slaughter in our country from the terraces but have never fallen foul of UEFA, so it's obviously not a level playing field out there.

[CanadianGer 1]

This is very true but I think our bad relationship with the SFA and the media in this country makes our position at UEFA even more precarious. I mean lets face it septic for decades have backed slaughter in our country from the terraces but have never fallen foul of UEFA, so it's obviously not a level playing field out there.

Agreed. We are lambs for the slaughter on some of this stuff. This is why I have consistently backed revoking press licenses from 'journos' who print stories which are false or malicious about our club. And why some of our fans are fool enough to line the pockets of publishers who not only dislike our team but who mock our community, our institutions, I have no idea.

[Thermopylae 15,286]

I don't want to go into dangerous ground here but for some reason Murray has never wanted to antagonise the mhedia (unless of course the attack is personal against him). The sad fact is that the scum with typewriters and video cameras learned long ago that Murray just backs off when they blacken the name of the supporters.

[blueben_d 40]

Maybe someone should give us a list of songs we can sing

Fans will be issued with book containing a list of acceptable songs and will be expected to continue "self-policing" any inappropriate behaviour.

[Saudibear 0]

I've been present on several occasions when Bain has been asked point blank what the club is doing about adverse publicity. I've personally asked Sandy Jardine and had several conversations with Jim Templeton on the subject and always got the same answer. i.e. that our PR department are working non stop to change this. The problem is that if nothing is published from our supposed PR department, then the press still have carte blanche to write whatever they like and we are still seen as the bad bassa's because no-one in any authority is denying any of the lies that are printed.

[blueben_d 40]

if our PR dept is working non stop then they should be sacked because none of it is making it into the public domain and our PR is at an all time low

[minstral 5,375]

the club should come out and tell us what nursery rhymes are allowed or what ones are banned, because thats all we will be allowed to sing very soon.

[J_RFC87 761]

the club should come out and tell us what nursery rhymes are allowed or what ones are banned, because thats all we will be allowed to sing very soon.

We wouldn't even be allowed to sing Baa Baa Black Sheep

[blueben_d 40]

the club should come out and tell us what nursery rhymes are allowed or what ones are banned, because thats all we will be allowed to sing very soon.

We wouldn't even be allowed to sing Baa Baa Black Sheep

racist

[agr9 0]

I've been present on several occasions when Bain has been asked point blank what the club is doing about adverse publicity. I've personally asked Sandy Jardine and had several conversations with Jim Templeton on the subject and always got the same answer. i.e. that our PR department are working non stop to change this. The problem is that if nothing is published from our supposed PR department, then the press still have carte blanche to write whatever they like and we are still seen as the bad bassa's because no-one in any authority is denying any of the lies that are printed.

We don't need enemies in the press when our own club allows statements like those from Jardine and McCoist

[bestiadegranada 0]

if our PR dept is working non stop then they should be sacked because none of it is making it into the public domain and our PR is at an all time low

Hear hear.

Someone started a thread a few months ago under the title "Ally, Ally - gie's a break". So relevant to this one too. Can I just say - CHANGE THE EFFING RECORD!!! I am SICK of the bigotry issue constantly coming up, when I was at Parkhead last year and they sang that Paul LeGuen was a sad orange bastard - why was this not picked up (rhetorical question)?

[agr9 0]

I am SICK of the bigotry issue constantly coming up, when I was at Parkhead last year and they sang that Paul LeGuen was a sad orange bastard - why was this not picked up (rhetorical question)?

Two words mate.Scottish Media.

[delparlane 5,641]

if our PR dept is working non stop then they should be sacked because none of it is making it into the public domain and our PR is at an all time low

Hear hear.

Someone started a thread a few months ago under the title "Ally, Ally - gie's a break". So relevant to this one too. Can I just say - CHANGE THE EFFING RECORD!!! I am SICK of the bigotry issue constantly coming up, when I was at Parkhead last year and they sang that Paul LeGuen was a sad orange bastard - why was this not picked up (rhetorical question)?

No Kidding. Then you remind them of the bananas thrown at Mark Walters, and they try to deflect it by saying it was "only a few that did that" (sort of like it was 6 billion + at Seville!). These lads definitely don't finish top of the class at Maths (or in Logic, for that matter)...

[Danny 9]

McCoist warned that supporters could cost Rangers their shot at glory .â€

No one spotted this subtle wee dig at the movie he was in with Robert Duvall?

[Deathsdoorstep 0]

The fact is that all over the world, people who you might call "celtic minded" have convinced the PC crowd that they're the poor wee victim and that the brits and loyalists are evil tools of oppression. Its total crap, of course. But billions worldwide have bought into the poor wee irishman BS. And Rangers supporters have been pegged as the poster boy for it.

Very few people know the full history of it all dating back centuries.

That doesn't excuse our lot from changing, but strides have been made. Moreso than the other lot, who get off easy.