Gordon Waddell - SFA must punish Hibs AND Rangers over Scottish Cup Final shame

[the gunslinger 3,366]

It's hardly controversial to say both teams should be punished. We know that and we know they will.

 

Why doesn't he tear the report apart for the inaccurate cover up it is.

 

Why doesn't he call for hibs to have it removed due to their actions.

 

Why isn't he apoplectic about players being assaulted and sectarian abused.

 

Something worth reading.

[ian1964 10,723]

By Brian Monteith

 

The SFA’s report on the Hibs-Rangers debacle at Hampden leaves much to be desired, writes Brian Monteith Just before 5.00pm last Friday evening, when the news headlines for that evening’s news broadcasts had mostly been dictated, the Scottish Football Association issued the independent report it had commissioned by Sheriff Principal Edward Bowen QC into the pitch invasion and resulting violence at the end of the Scottish Cup final on 21 May. It also so happened to be the eve of the football season across the UK, where media attention and especially newspaper sports pages would be focusing expectantly on the first competitive matches and what they might throw up.

 

To compound the distraction following on that evening would be the Rio 2016 Olympic games opening ceremony, with Andy Murray carrying the Union Flag on behalf of Team GB and the first competitions bringing news of the early medal winners. As a public relations consultant I would find it hard to conceive of a more perfect storm of competing news stories and natural obstacles to release into the public domain a report on Scottish football policing and safety procedures that can only provoke as many questions as it answers. Sheriff Bowen’s report clears the SFA, the Hampden Stadium management, the police, the stewards, and both Hibernian and Rangers football clubs of responsibility for the pitch invasion and the resulting scenes of mayhem. He concludes that they held the necessary planning meetings, followed the appropriate guidelines, met their own anticipated staffing requirements, liaised with each other to everyone’s satisfaction and had no intelligence to suggest the cup final would end in the manner it did.

 

The report explains the processes that were expected to be followed, in law and official guidance, and how these were met and sometimes even exceeded (such as having more stewards than required). In absolving the authorities the finger of responsibility points to the individual fans that sought to cause trouble, first from the Hibs end of Hampden and then from the Rangers end. While Sheriff Bowen is careful to argue that the majority of Hibs supporters entered the playing area out of jubilant celebration he points to about 200 that crossed the half-way line intent on taunting opposing supporters and between 10-15 individuals intent on fighting. Rangers fans are not left blameless, for their letting off of flares and singing sectarian songs throughout the game had caused police numbers to be concentrated at their end, weakening security at the Hibs end, and while the vast majority of Rangers supporters chose to leave the ground following the pitch invasion a significant number also accessed the pitch with the intention of clashing with Hibs supporters. Sheriff Bowen’s conclusion that the operational procedures could not be blamed does not excuse the strategic failure. The SFA and Police Scotland miscalculated their risk assessment of the possibility of a pitch invasion. Sheriff Bowen makes this glaring failure obvious when he states, “I am not qualified to comment, nor would it be appropriate for me to do so, on the adequacy of the overall police numbers and the nature of their deployment.” Well, if he cannot then someone who can has to start a public debate.

 

The golden rule must be that no fans on the pitch means no ugly incidents and no need for an inquiry. How did the fans get on the pitch? Because the undermanned police – most of whom by the end of the game had moved to outside the stadium – told the stewards to allow supporters access to the playing area by opening the perimeter gates. This was undoubtedly done with the best of intentions to avoid public disorder and the risk of public safety to innocent Hibs fans from a crush by their own following, such as happened at Hillsborough. A change in approach to policing and stewarding must be the first step for without one we can expect the whole episode to be repeated and the next time the outcome in terms of violence could be far, far worse. Imagine such numbers of Hibs supporters had come on to the pitch in genuine anger rather than jubilation? Imagine Rangers fans had invaded the pitch en masse rather than mostly choosing to leave the ground? No fans on the pitch should have been a priority but instead allowing them on was a safety valve for a policing failure. I have been to enough football matches in the last 50 years, many with huge crowds and an intimidating atmosphere of violence, to know that assured and thoughtful policing with adequate numbers can deter the madness of crowds. Stewards do not have the same legal rights that police do and were powerless to prevent the Hampden pitch invasion; using them to do the job of police officers is a false economy that puts safety at risk.

 

The end of match track detail, at only 52 police officers for the whole stadium was inadequate, and should in future be at least three times that number. If there is a cost to be borne then the showpiece finale that the Scottish Cup final represents should be able to carry it. Not for the first time the Scottish Football Association has failed to meet its responsibilities, this time in its duty of care to supporters of both clubs. Will no-one hold it to account on behalf of the vast majority of decent football supporters who are powerless to effect change? Only the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament have the clout to intervene and be listened to. If they fail to act the next example of public disorder and possible tragedy will be their responsibility too, not just that of the football and policing authorities.

• Brian Monteith is a Hibernian FC supporter and former member of the Scottish Parliament who attended the Cup final

 

Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/brian-monteith-many-questions-raised-by-cup-final-inquiry-1-4196787

Edited August 8, 2016 by ian1964

[calscot 0]

I think while it is very hard to control large numbers of people intent on causing public disorder the main blame lie squarely with the footballing authorities. The biggest failure is that they have shown that invading the pitch is acceptable and tolerated (as long as you don't support Rangers).

 

They failed to hammer Motherwell when they had the chance, which would have shown precedence and acted as a deterent, and they compounded things after Hibs by their executives dismissing it and calling it, "exuberance".

 

I also think it's really weird that Scottish football expect Rangers fans to show humility for absolutely no wrong-doing but do not have the same demands for Motherwell and Hibs fans for horrendous and dangerous behaviour. In fact both sets of fans have shown an arrogance, denial and twisted values that border on something like psychosis. Completely and utterly bonkers to put it politely.

 

I cannot see how Rangers are to blame in the slightest. Nothing Rangers fans did was out of keeping with the rest of society. A hundred or so people out of 25k reacting to an act of aggression from five thousand or so interlopers, has absolutely nothing to do with the club. In fact, it seems incredibly low and the restraint should be highly commended. You will NEVER be able to prevent that fraction of the population from reacting to such immense provocation, no matter how much liability and punishment you inflict on the club.

 

The response to the Rangers fans has been totally lacking in proportionality and any understanding of human nature. I would say it displays a shocking lack of intelligence, knowledge and rational thinking.

 

And once again we are blamed for sectarian singing and the odd smoke bomb, when most other clubs are equal if not more guilty for such crimes - Hibs especially, Celtic so far more that they are Champions League in this regard, compared to our Scottish Championship in comparison.

 

The answer is that Hibs should have been hammered. Kicked out the cup, closed door games, and European qualification withheld - this would be in proportion of the number of perpetrators. That kind of punishment will really help prevent it happening in future.

 

As we should be punishing the massive cause not the mild side effects, I can't see how Rangers can be punished beyond the pyrotechnics.

 

Entering the pitch needs to be something that is seen as totally unacceptable - as it was when just one fan came on to attack Lennon - and they tried to blame Rangers for that one too.

 

There really is something wrong with the thinking in Scottish football - sickeningly wrong.

[26th of foot 6,082]

Hibs are doing it ra Sellik way.

 

Rod and Leanne say nothing, they leave it up to a raft built across the political spectrum. Simon Pia was Scottish Labour's spin doctor for many years and he pitches up on every broadcast means in the 24 hours immediately after the cup final. Then, there's a few nationalists giving their narratives of a family day at Hampden. Now, we have former Tory MSP, Brian Monteith proclaiming his love of the cabbage and ribs. It's all done by proxy, it all undermines those awkward photos and film footage of snarling Hibees on the pitch, and completely ignores more recent incidents involving Hibs supporters with both Brondby and Falkirk supporters.