The Aftermath

[the gunslinger 3,366]

40 minutes ago, Bill said:

No it can’t. Stop panicking, it’s embarrassing. 

of course it could. What you mean is you believe it won't or it's unlikely which is all fine but of course it can. 

 

I hardly think saying only the fans can ruin this now is panicking. 

[Gonzo79 15,294]

8 minutes ago, the gunslinger said:

 

I hardly think saying only the fans can ruin this now is panicking

It is absolute nonsense though.

[Uilleam 5,948]

And Lo! A Club Statement:
 

https://www.rangers.co.uk/article/club-statement-1203212/1n9VyyP4LxhSY9QU13RWqF

 

Reported below, along with the customary self righteous guff from Cant Central:

 

Rangers plea: Stay at home

FootballBen Palmer

Saturday March 13 2021, 12.01am, The Times

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rangers-plea-stay-at-home-qjp032g8c

 

Rangers fans were criticised after celebrating their title triumph

 

Rangers and Celtic have vowed to meet Scottish government demands ahead of the Old Firm derby next Sunday with both clubs insisting that they will discourage supporters from gathering in public.

 

Rangers, who have been the subject of criticism from Holyrood after their supporters’ celebrations in Glasgow six days ago, last night said they will tell fans to stay at home.

Celtic, meanwhile, have already erected a ring of steel at Parkhead with metal fences running around the edge of the stadium as they moved to distance themselves from the scenes at George Square and Ibrox last Sunday.

Both clubs met with the government and Police Scotland yesterday to discuss how best to protect public health at

the powderkeg fixture. Humza Yousaf, the justice minister, has warned that the game could be called off had their demands for assurances not been met.

 

“We are pleased that today’s meeting was very constructive and we have agreed to support the ‘stay at home’ message,” said a Rangers statement.

“Rangers would like to reiterate manager Steven Gerrard’s comments from last weekend, for supporters to stay at home and ensure the safety of themselves and others.

“We are cognisant of the ongoing fight against Covid-19 and ask that everyone follows government guidance to stay at home.

“The club will continue to liaise with all agencies as well as a number of supporters. We will continue to work to ensure that the club’s message is reiterated over the coming week and will provide further updates in due course.”

 

Earlier, Celtic issued a statement to say they have always encouraged supporters to stay away from matches during the pandemic.

“The Scottish government has already made clear to Celtic that it does not in any way associate the scenes last weekend with Celtic or our supporters,” said their statement. “Although Celtic and our supporters are desperate to get back to Celtic Park to support the team, the club and our supporters are mindful of the risks associated with public gatherings at this important time.

“The club has been clear in our messaging to our supporters of the importance of staying at home in line with guidance throughout the pandemic. We have communicated regularly around our fixtures and our supporters have worked with the club responsibly — the celebrations after our historic nine in row title triumph last summer and after our unprecedented quadruple treble Scottish Cup win in December are two key examples of that.

“Given the damage caused to club property recently [a club shop in the city centre was vandalised] the club has already taken steps to enhance security and protection of our property at Celtic Park and the club is happy to work with those attending the meeting to ensure that any additional protection necessary will be in place for the match in question.”

Edited March 13, 2021 by Uilleam

[the gunslinger 3,366]

celtc have been distancing themselves from the events at Ibrox and George Square all season. 

[ian1964 10,724]

?

[ranger_syntax 4,330]

You may have read that some Rangers fans gathered in George Square to celebrate 55.

 

There was some damage to flower beds and furniture. A crowd fund was setup to pay for these damages.  Reportedly almost £10000 was raised.

 

Given that the sum raised was advertised it can't be a shock that the reported bill is 110% of that sum. Why then do some Rangers fans complain as if this is a terrible surprise?

[Uilleam 5,948]

May, possibly, could have, it's too early to know, can't say it has not had an effect, at this stage is difficult, it's too early too tell, and like scientific jargon, all regaled in today's Times.  Reassuringly difficult for the lay person to interpret, but I am going for 'Perhaps'.

 

 

Covid in Scotland: Rangers fans may have spread virus at title parties

Mark McLaughlin

Monday March 15 2021, 5.00pm, The Times

 

Rangers fans held impromptu parties after they clinched their first league title in a decade

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/covid-in-scotland-rangers-fans-may-have-spread-virus-at-title-parties-m2553n93x

 

Rangers fans who celebrated their first league title in a decade at illegal parties have tested positive for coronavirus and may be spreading it throughout Scotland, the chief medical officer has warned.

Coronavirus cases are rising again in Glasgow and Lanarkshire, one week after thousands of Rangers fans broke the law by holding an impromptu street party in George Square.

Some subsequently tested positive for Covid-19 and admitted to contact tracers they were at the rally or held house parties, which are also illegal under coronavirus restrictions.

 

About 30,000 swabs were taken at lighthouse lab testing centres over the past three days — including 12,000 on Saturday alone, the highest since January

More than 14,000 swabs a day were taken at these testing centres in mid-January at the height of the second wave, which is thought to have been triggered by house parties over Christmas and the new year.

 

The more infectious Kent mutation that emerged over the festive period remains the dominant strain in Britain.

 

Dr Gregor Smith, Scotland’s chief medical officer, said: “It is too early to know the full impact of the events of last weekend in terms of the infection case rate, particularly in west-central Scotland.

“What we are seeing over the last seven days, however, is an increase in the number of cases associated with many of those areas, particularly with upticks across Lanarkshire and Glasgow city in particular, and parts of Ayrshire and Arran as well.

“How closely we can associate that with the events of last weekend is, at this stage, difficult — but during their interviews contact tracing teams are having with people who tested positive there are a small number of who are revealing that they either took part in those celebrations or were involved in house parties as well.

“So we can’t say that it has not had an effect at this stage, but at this moment in time we are seeing a rise in cases.

“It is still too early to tell. You have got remember that the incubation period for this virus is anything up to a ten-day or so period.

“What happens over the coming days is going to be really revealing in that sense.”

 

Testing centres detected positive cases in 4.7 per cent of swabs yesterday — just below the World Health Organisation’s 5 per cent danger zone that signals coronavirus may be running out of control.

Test positivity is generally higher at the weekend as fewer routine asymptomatic tests are conducted but the seven-day average, which smooths out daily fluctuations, has plateaued at around 3 per cent after a dramatic decline from more than 12 per cent in January.

The number of patients in intensive care increased for the first time since February 27, while the rate of decline in hospital patients has slowed from around 40 patients leaving per day in late February to around 30 in recent days.

 

Nicola Sturgeon acknowledged some of the rise in cases could also be down to schools reopening for some pupils on February 22.

Children in P1-P3 returned to Scotland’s schools on February 22. On Monday, they were joined by classmates in P4-P7, with secondary school pupils returning to in-class learning part time.

“Can we rule out a link between schools partially reopening and a bit of an uptick in cases? No, I don’t think we can,” the first minister said.

“And that will not be because particularly of transmission within schools but we know that when schools open there is just a little bit more movement generally as parents take children to school for example.”

 

Dr Smith said the rise in cases was “not as great as I had wondered we might see” and that he was “not overly concerned”.

He said: “We knew that as schools went back it a always going to be the possibility that, as people could go about their lives more, there would be more contact of one sort or another and that could lead to more transmission and I think that is exactly what we are seeing being played through in the figures just now.”

 

On Friday, The Times revealed that more people had died in the neighbourhoods around Ibrox and Parkhead stadiums than nearly any other community in Scotland.

Rowland Kao, a mathematical biologist at Edinburgh University, said he could not exclude the possibility that high-profile matches played before the first lockdown in March 2020 had boosted the death rate in these deprived neighbourhoods.

[MacK1950 2,378]

Big bad rangers fans again,was there no spikes after other mass gatherings e.g. BLM,Scottish Cup final,Parkhead protests ETC>,or is it only Rangers fans that carry the risk.

It might be that after destroying the scum we are now destroying Nippies political aims.

[Gonzo79 15,294]

This latest revelation bears all the hallmarks of a Scottish Nationalism Party order, much the same as the Police Scotland statements last week.  

[der Berliner 3,747]

Isn`t it some 10 day period to check out any increases in numbers? And people were throwing up stuff like the above after just a few days or so?