Andy Gray makes Rangers guard of honour admission after what Richard Keys said
Andy Gray has provided his thoughts on Rangers refusing to give Celtic a guard of honour ahead of their game on Sunday.
Rangers and Celtic played out a 1-1 draw in the final Old Firm derby of the season at Ibrox on 4 May, with Cyriel Dessers and Adam Idah scoring for their respective teams.
It was the Hoops’ first match after clinching the Premiership title with a 5-0 victory over Dundee United last Saturday (26 April), meaning the Gers should have given them a guard of honour at Ibrox by tradition.
However, there was no such gesture, with fans in the Copland Stand unfurling a controversial Graeme Souness tifo instead.
Gray admits Rangers should have honoured Celtic
Just hours after the draw at Ibrox, Chelsea notably gave newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool a guard of honour ahead of their game at Stamford Bridge.
Thus, the act of giving a guard of honour became a topic of discussion on beIN Sports, with Keys sympathising with Rangers‘ situation after refusing to honour Celtic.
“You’d be accused of being petty, but I’m kind of trying to protect Rangers in this conversation as well because I do understand the depth”, Keys said on beIN Sports (4 May).
Gray, though, appeared to be out of touch with the subject, saying: “I’m not sure, I’m sure there’s more to this story than you’re telling me.”
Keys responded by saying that giving a guard of honour to Celtic was the ‘right thing’ for the Light Blues to do and claimed that it would not have been a problem if they did.
“I just think if Rangers had said we’re going to do the right thing, it wouldn’t be an issue”, he added.
| Rangers | Stat | Celtic |
| 13 | Shots | 7 |
| 4 | Shots on target | 3 |
| 39% | Possession | 61% |
| 319 | Passes | 486 |
| 78% | Pass accuracy | 85% |
Gray was in agreement with his colleague, admitting that his former employers should have honoured the champions.
He believes Ferguson’s side should have used that as motivation to earn the win against the Bhoys instead.
“No, I think we should have done it”, he said.
“I do, get it done, get it dusted, then go beat them. That’s fine.”
Meanwhile, Keys responded: “Yes, because these things do tend to come back and bite you, don’t they?”
To conclude, Gray confessed that Rangers should have bit the bullet and given Celtic a guard of honour regardless of how difficult it is.
“They might do, but no, listen, we should have done it, as simple as that.
“It is difficult, as simple as it is, it’s Ibrox, I know that. Difficult as that would be, we should have done it.”
Ibrox crowd may land Gers in trouble
The game marked the first time Celtic fans had visited Ibrox in over two years.
However, some fans marred the occasion by unfurling a banner, which the Light Blues believe ‘crossed a line’.
One supporter also threw a glass bottle onto the pitch, forcing Neraysho Kasanwirjo to momentarily abandon his warm-up to pick it up.
The Rangers hierarchy will hope that these actions do not land them in trouble, having already been punished by UEFA for an offensive banner in March.