SNP politician James Dornan blasts ‘disgraceful’ Celtic chants aimed at ex-Rangers star Kris Boyd
James Dornan has blasted Celtic fans for “embarrassing” and “disgusting” chants aimed at former Rangers striker Kris Boyd at the weekend.
According to the Daily Record, Boyd was subjected to “offensive, sectarian chants” as he worked for Sky Sports as Celtic played Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday.
Dornan, an SNP politician, has since hit out at Celtic fans for their alleged behaviour at Tannadice on Twitter.
“I’m loving watching Celtic FC just now, exciting team and a manager who wants the game played with speed and ingenuity, so what can spoil it, a small but vocal group of fans, that’s what. For the last few weeks listening to Celtic at away games has been embarrassing,” he said.
“Celtic are a Scottish team with a proud Irish background, something we should be happy to celebrate. However, we are not the sporting division of Ireland’s struggle for reunification, which I believe in, but is for the Irish to decide and will be a political, not sporting, decision.
“And seriously, what was that sectarian bile towards Kris Boyd about? I know he’s an ex-Rangers player but in no way does that, or anything else, justify those disgraceful chants towards him yesterday. We can’t accuse others of religious hatred if we’re doing the same thing.”
Say that again?
Why does it matter if Boyd is a former Rangers player? Just because he played for Celtic’s Old Firm rivals doesn’t mean it’s fine to make him a target for abuse.
The club doesn’t matter. It’s a man who’s gone to work and suffered abuse.
Dornan needs to get that in his head.
The Old Firm rivalry is like none other in football, especially in the UK. But there is a line that cannot be crossed yet fans on both sides of the Glasgow divide cross it on what is a way too common occurrence.
We’ve seen stories about racism and sectarianism on several occasions this season and it doesn’t seem as though they’re going to stop coming.
It’s abhorrent and it doesn’t belong in football or in society at all. Yet the same old stories keep on appearing.
Everyone needs to do better.
Whether that’s the clubs, the police, the politicians and the fans themselves – everyone can do something to improve the situation.
If you see or hear something, call it out. It doesn’t matter if it’s a fellow Bear or someone on the other side of the partitioning at Ibrox.
In other Rangers news, Alex Rae is furious with developments surrounding the Gers’ clash against Lyon this week.