Rangers Guard of Honour verdict shared ahead of Old Firm clash v Celtic amid ‘many conflicts’ claim
Rangers are “unlikely” to give Celtic a Guard of Honour before their clash at Ibrox on Saturday (13 May), according to journalist Jack Johnson.
The Gers welcome the Bhoys to Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership, with the latter having just won a second successive league title.
A Guard of Honour is tradition for teams who have won the title with matches remaining, although this tradition has not been followed in recent years given the rivalry between Rangers and Celtic.
“In 2019, champions Celtic visited Ibrox and Rangers decided not to give them a Guard of Honour,” Johnson wrote for talkSPORT.
“However, when Rangers won the league in 2021, Celtic didn’t give them a Guard of Honour, with interim manager John Kennedy using the previous example as a reason.
“So with many conflicts over the issue in the past, it is unlikely that Rangers will provide the Guard of Honour for their rivals.”
Fierce rivalry
It goes without saying that Rangers and Celtic have a fierce rivalry, one that is undoubtedly one of the fiercest in world football.
The two Glasgow-based clubs simply do not see eye to eye at all, with that trend continuing this season in their many battles on the pitch.
The Gers have come off worse this time around, with their rivals lifting the Scottish League Cup as well as the Scottish Premiership.
Celtic also defeated Michael Beale’s side in the Scottish Cup semi-final, with all of those heavy blows combining with all the history to ensure that Rangers remain very, very unlikely to give their visitors a Guard of Honour.
In the small chance that they do, Celtic fans won’t even be able to enjoy it all that much given how they will be absent from Ibrox due to safety issues concerning the fixture.
Beale can, of course, simply use the excuse that Kennedy used and say that the Gers were not handed a Guard of Honour when they visited Celtic Park as champions not so long ago.
In other Rangers news, Gers staff have been informed of yet another new exit at Ibrox.