Official Rangers partner reacts to Friday news on ‘utter B.S.’ controversial measures
Heart & Hand has reacted to the news that the controversial supporters’ bus plans have been shelved as the official Rangers partner branded them “utter B.S.”.
The club news outlet reacted to the development on Friday via Twitter (8 September) to say that it was “good” that the proposals had been halted because they were nonsense in the first place.
On announcing the new decisions Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain Richard Turfitt had said, as per BBC News, that he had “listened to the strength of feeling expressed”.
What the BBC called “among the most controversial voluntary guidelines” were plans to pre-agree any pub visits by buses carrying fans to and from games, which were only to be allowed at premises where alcohol can be bought with a “substantial meal”.
Strict arrival and departure windows at the matches themselves were also on the cards prior to the shelving.
Unpopular
It isn’t often that opposing political parties agree on something but the “widely criticised” measures appear to have riled up virtually everyone.
The football authorities in Scotland weren’t impressed, first minister Humza Yousaf called the plan “ludicrous”, and Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross used the same word in reaction to the latest development [BBC News, 8 September].
Disorder and violence around football matches is absolutely an issue that deserves focus, but with such widespread opposition it appears this was not the way to do it, although similar measures are apparently working in England and Wales.
What will emerge as the alternative remains to be seen but it appears that for now the previous proposals have been shut down.
Rangers fans who were set to be affected by the plans will have one less thing to be bothered by, as they largely have enough to worry about on the pitch at the moment.
Michael Beale is under major pressure just over a month into the season after losing again to Celtic and failing to qualify for the Champions League, with a managerial change for a third-straight campaign looking increasingly realistic.
In other Rangers news, an exit update has emerged on the Ibrox boss’ potential replacement.