Are we living in the dark ages?
Sectarianism has been referred to as “Scottish football's dirty secret'. In the last week that secret was been hung out for all to see in the form of the unacceptable behaviour of Scottish football fans towards Kilmarnock’s’ Steve Clarke and Kris Boyd.
Steve Clarke, the manager of Kilmarnock Football Club, says he was subjected to sectarian abuse during his side's Scottish Cup fifth-round replay against Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday and accused some fans of living in the "dark ages".
"To call me a Fenian b******, where are we living? The dark ages?"
Rangers responded following Kilmarnock managers Clarke's complaints of abuse from fans:
"Everything possible will continue to be done to eradicate this kind of behaviour. We don't support any sort of unacceptable behaviour from the terraces and that is the way it will always be at Rangers.”
Clarke in a later interview said:
"Everybody needs to take some responsibility and work together. It won't change overnight, but the fact that it's back in the headlines is sad in one way, but it's positive in another."
On Sunday Kris Boyd was struck by coin in the Kilmarnock vs Celtic game and subjected to alleged sectarian abuse.
Kris Boyd told a sport media provider in a post-match interview;
"Oh, and in case anyone didn't know, I'm just a fat orange b******* “
Celtic said in their statement:
“Clearly if anyone is identified, we will take the appropriate action.”
Police Scotland confirmed that an investigation is under way "following a number of reported incidents" at Rugby Park and that officers will be reviewing CCTV footage.
Scottish football is accused of not doing enough to tackle sectarianism, according to many media outlets last week. Many match delegates have spoken out saying that their reporting of the issues has been ignored and no action is be taken.
It seems like the Scottish Professional Football League is content to sweep the issue under the carpet.
"The SPFL condemns any incident of unacceptable conduct and our collaboration with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland demonstrates the SPFL's ongoing efforts to work with key stakeholders and help Scottish football address effectively any instances of unacceptable conduct at SPFL matches identified and reported by SPFL match delegates and Police Scotland."
Former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart on BBC Sportscene:
"This is a great country we have got here but we have got a cancer and we need to stamp it out."
Dave Scott, Campaign Director for anti-sectarian charity Nil by Mouth on Radio Scotland:
"It is difficult to combat if you don't throw a punch. Scottish football has failed for generations to tackle sectarian abuse”
"You would not behave like that in the workplace or in the community without sanction, so why do we allow this permissive environment? It is simply because the clubs and governing bodies don't have the backbone, the bottle, the spine to do something about it."
Watch the interview with Dave Scott on Sky here:
WATCH
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) February 21, 2019
Sectarianism "unique" to Scotland ???????
Football's "spineless & gutless response" to the problem ❌
David Scott from @NBMScotland speaks to @SkySportsNews about the issue of sectarianism in Scottish football. https://t.co/w1MWkeFE8d
More information can be found in various news reports here: https://www.google.com/search?q=sectarian+abuse+kilmarnock&rlz=1C1KMZB_enGB543GB543&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwid8_DY39vgAhUSXRUIHYdoAjUQ_AUIDigB&biw=1280&bih=881
