A trio of Rangers fans who chanted sectarian abuse at the new club’s first game have been given fines and football banning orders.
They added sectarian phrases to supporters’ song Follow Follow as the newco club faced Brechin City in the Ibrox outfit’s return to action after a close season of financial crisis.
At Forfar Sheriff Court on Thursday, Gordon McKillop (29) of Largs, and Andrew Callaghan (28) and Billy Brawley (28), both of Blantyre, admitted using foul and abusive language of religious hatred at Glebe Park on July 29, in contravention of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012.
Depute fiscal Hannah Kennedy told the court police had been video-recording fans in the away section of the 4,100-strong Glebe Park crowd during the Ramsdens cup clash, which the Glasgow side won 2-1.
Each accused appeared separately in the dock, but a solicitor said the common factor was that all three had been carried away by ”euphoria” of the club’s return to on-pitch action.
”Over the summer months Rangers fans had what they would call a fairly torrid time,” he said.
All three had also been drinking ahead of the Angus match. The solicitor also told the court that in the cases of Callaghan and Brawley they were particularly embarrassed by their behaviour because they come from mixed-religion families.
”Mr Callaghan’s mother is Roman Catholic and as such he has shamed himself and his family,” he said. ”Mr Brawley also comes from a mixed family and he deeply regrets his actions.”
Sheriff Veal said: ”It is difficult to explain the connection between the Vatican, any persons there and Ibrox Park. Events such as this reinforce the need for the efforts that the authorities are making to rid the sport of sectarianism.”
He fined each of the accused £300 and imposed a six-month football banning order preventing them from attending matches.
Two other fans denied charges relating to the same match.
Derek McCreadie (22) of Wigton, Dumfries and Galloway, faces a charge of using foul and abusive language of religious hatred and had his case continued until November 8.
Gordon McLean (32) from Glasgow, also appeared separately on a charge of culpable and reckless possession of a lit smoke canister within the stadium.
McLean is alleged to have, with utter disregard for the consequences, possessed the item within the stadium and crowd, waved the canister in the air and then thrown it over the heads of people in the stadium and on to the pitch during the match.
He pleaded not guilty and is also set to appear again on November 8.