‘Absolutely scandalous’: BBC pundit lashes out at ‘Downright disrespectful’ Rangers.
Ryan Stevenson has described the Rangers‘ emblem being placed above Hearts’ at Tynecastle as “absolutely scandalous” and “downright disrespectful”. The former Jam Tarts midfielder vented in a Daily Record piece on March 26 about footage of Rangers Women’s celebrations [Sky Sports News, 25 March] in the dressing room after they defeated Partick Thistle 4-1 to retain the Sky Sports Cup.
The Gers had placed a mat with the club’s logo on top of the Hearts badge on the floor, prompting an outraged response from the Edinburgh club, who claimed it had been “defaced,” but BBC pundit Stevenson insists the “fury” is understandable because the badge is “sacred” and Jambos legends have previously taught players never to walk over it. He stated: “I think it’s scandalous. Absolutely scandalous. Many people have criticized Hearts for being petty in issuing a statement denouncing Rangers’ behavior, but let me defend the club because what happened was blatantly rude. I’m not sure who is accountable for it: the person in charge of the kit, a player, or someone else in their group.
“Can you picture someone accessing the home dressing room at Ibrox and placing their club badge exactly above the Rangers crest? Okay, Tynecastle was a neutral venue on the day, but was there a Partick Thistle badge in the other dressing room?
“The truth is, it shouldn’t have happened, and I completely understand the outrage it has caused. Listen, I’m not calling for punishment. It was undoubtedly a genuine blunder caused by inexperience and the fact that the game was not played at Hampden. But this shouldn’t happen again.” The aftermath from Rangers’ Sky Sports Cup success continues. Perhaps Stevenson is correct that if the game had been played at Ibrox with the roles reversed, Rangers would have reacted similarly.
However, if they had agreed to be a neutral venue for a cup final in which they were not engaged, they would have little reason to object.
Hearts CEO Andrew McKinlay described Tynecastle’s hosting of the Sky Sports extravaganza as a “privilege” and expressed hope that “the Tynecastle experience plays a part in making the final a memorable occasion for everyone involved” [SWPL, 16 November]. And yet, what appears to be a reasonably unsurprising circumstance, especially given that it occurred without incident last year, has suddenly caused the club such offense, while the occasion itself and Jo Potter’s side’s trophy win are at risk of being overshadowed by the resulting aftermath.
While it is tempting to dismiss the alleged disrespect for club logos as a minor issue, especially since they are not even permitted to be walked on when emblazoned on the floors of dressing rooms, tunnels, or touchlines where people must walk, it is true that they mean more to some than others.
So, if the Rangers Women had purposefully directed celebrations, hand gestures, chanting, or anything else at it, it would very likely be considered improper behaviour.
However, when all they did was temporarily insert their own logo in what was intended to be a neutral arena, the reaction appears exaggerated when compared to football issues that deserve attention.
