Celtic & Rangers cited after unrest 'near miss' at Ibrox

Rangers and Celtic face disciplinary charges over the unrest that followed their Scottish Cup meeting at Ibrox in March, with a review warning that the ugly scenes "came within a very small margin of becoming a violent mass confrontation".

The Scottish FA has issued identical notices of complaints to both clubs as it published the independent review on the events surrounding the quarter-final tie.

Both are accused of breaching the SFA's rule 37, which centres on "good order and security" and "unacceptable conduct".

The rule covers "policies and procedures" and whether clubs take appropriate measures to identify and deal with supporters who engage in unacceptable conduct.

The clubs face hearings on 13 August.

There were clashes on the pitch after eventual cup winners Celtic prevailed via a penalty shootout on 8 March.

Some visiting fans spilled on to the playing surface to celebrate, with home supporters then trying to confront them as fireworks were thrown back and forth.

At least 37 people have been arrested over the trouble, which resulted in injuries to police and stewards.

Lead author Mark Blackbourne also states that a "crushing incident was a real and foreseeable risk" due to "non-compliant Ultra group fans surging past police and stewards".

The report adds: "Ultra groups exercise a power over clubs and the wider supporter base that is disproportionate to their size" and that "there seems to be no independent external scrutiny of the clubs' or Police Scotland's operational plans for high-risk fixtures".

The game was the first derby since 2018 to have a full allocation of away fans, with around 8,000 Celtic supporters in the Broomloan Stand.

Rangers say they raised safety concerns but "were left in no doubt that the competition rule (on ticketing) would be applied". They are also critical of the review's "limited examination" of that decision.

The Ibrox club added they they have "no plans to restore historic Old Firm allocations" while stressing "our operational plan for the match was materially enhanced to reflect the allocation and subsequent risks identified".

Celtic interim chairman Brian Wilson responded: "While we remain in dispute regarding certain points within this review, our club does not shrink from criticisms."

Wilson described the original incursion by a "small number" as "non-violent" and "not, in itself, a major or threatening incident".

He went on to say: "However, the actions by a section of the home support, some of them masked and carrying weapons, and subsequent attacks on our supporters and staff, were deeply concerning and we remain puzzled as to why the actions recommended by the Safety Advisory Group of Glasgow City Council were overturned at a senior level within Police Scotland."

The review also pointed out that "the current sanctions framework holds individuals accountable but largely insulates clubs from the consequences of their supporters' behaviour", saying this provides "insufficient motivation" to curb the problem.

There is a call for stronger sanctions, including stadium and stand closures, suggesting the SFA "has the disciplinary powers to act more severely than they have done but have chosen not to use them", with the governing body described as "too modest and too inconsistent".

An independent SFA judicial panel will consider the review, with chief executive Ian Maxwell saying: "We will work together with the SPFL, clubs, Police Scotland and Scottish government to ensure no repeat of the events that tarnished the image and reputation of the game."