Graham Spiers delivers strong conclusion on Rangers fans’ behaviour after Europa League agony
Rangers fans in Spain were “fun and warm” and “very appealing” despite heartbreak in the Europa League final according to Graham Spiers.
There had been some fears that with thousands of supporters from two extremely strong fanbases filling the city that there could be trouble in Seville around the game.
Spiers himself had expressed a dim view of the Gers faithful when he reacted to video messages from club legends such as Ally McCoist and Graeme Souness by Tweeting sarcastically that it was “clearly, a club that trusts its supporters”.
But after an agonising loss on penalties that saw Eintracht Frankfurt lift the trophy, he provided a far more positive assessment on Thursday afternoon (19 May), writing on his Twitter account: “There was a concern – not least from Rangers FC itself – about fan behaviour in Seville, but I have to say the Rangers fans in Spain came over as fun and warm and colourful.
“Very appealing: families, kids, lots of females among the fan-base. It looked terrific. Needs to be said.”
Credit
There have been some reports of violence on the streets of the city, but it appears that was largely sparked by German hooligans.
According to the Mirror’s Colin Millar, the police in Seville say they made one football-related arrest on the day of the final, of a Frankfurt fan.
Light Blues supporters often get a bad reputation and it sometimes is deserved, but when the opposite is the case it should also be highlighted.
Spiers to his credit has made a point of noting the positive atmosphere among the travelling support, which is especially good to hear considering the painful manner in which the game was lost.
Of course no set of fans should be praised too heavily for simply behaving as they are supposed to, but when it is so frequently not the case with fanbases travelling to the continent it is a relief that things largely went well.
This team has been a credit to Scottish football along the Europa League run, and according to Spiers, despite his earlier misgivings, the fans have been as well.
It is just a shame that the memories from the hot and humid night in Spain will be tinged with regret after coming so close but finishing without the trophy.
In other Rangers news, Chris Sutton and Robbie Savage fired messages at each other on Twitter around the game in an attempt to get under each others’ skin.