Michael Stewart reacts to ‘bizarre’ Rangers incident v Dundee as BBC Sportscene footage emerges
A pyrotechnic display by Rangers fans in the 5-0 win at Dundee on Wednesday night was over the top, according to Michael Stewart.
Due to the amount of smoke that filled Dens Park, the match was paused by the police and players were sent back into the changing rooms due to a fire alarm being triggered in the stadium.
Kick-off had already been delayed by 45 minutes and it was getting on to 11pm before the game on Tayside finished.
BBC Sportscene host Jonathan Sutherland called the incident “bizarre” as footage was shown after highlights of the game and while Stewart likes displays like this, he admits that they’re not very safe.
Speaking on BBC Sportscene about the incident on Wednesday night (2 November, 1hr,13m), Stewart said: “It’s health and safety gone mad once [the smoke] had all cleared.
“One thing is for certain, it’s the last thing the players are needing or wanting is such a delay, getting the game started to play a couple of minutes and then having to go back into the changing room.
“It really was not needed.
“From the pyrotechnics perspective, I’ve no idea what was going on with the police or what was needed to be done. But it’s certainly something that’s a wee bit OTT at the moment when you see a full stand like that.
“It looks great but it’s clearly not safe.”
How is it allowed?
You have to ask questions about how things like this are allowed in Scottish football.
The use of pyrotechnics in football matches is banned yet stewarts seem to have a very hard time finding devices when they search fans before matches.
Due to the delayed kick-off, surely there was no excuse for them to not be more vigorous in their searches of fans?
They’ll spot a plastic bottle with a lid on from a mile off but cannot see a firework if it explodes right in front of their face.
And if fans can get what seemed like hundreds of those in, what else is going to be allowed into a stadium at some point in the future?
Rangers obviously went on to win the game 5-0 against Dundee, who may have been more put off by the two delays than Philippe Clement’s men.
But ultimately, things like this just aren’t worth it.
It cannot have been good for players on both sides of the Scottish Premiership clash so let the Celtic fans continue to embarrass their club while we go about our business quietly and continue closing the gap to them at the top.
In other Rangers news, Willie Miller believes fans will soon change their mind about this “fabulous” Gers star.