Rangers riled by crowd chaos

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.

Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.

Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.

Louise Thomas

Editor

Find out more

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain will tell UEFA that poor organisation and over-zealous policing contributed to the trouble at last night's Champions League match against Unirea Urziceni.

UEFA may choose to examine how there came to be unrest as Rangers fans attempted to enter the stadium before kick-off.

Reports have suggested some away supporters ripped up seats during the match, while there were scenes of Rangers fans clashing with police.

Bain condemned the "unacceptable" behaviour of some of the Glasgow club's travelling fans in Bucharest, however he was also critical of the Romanian police tactics and shortage of entry access for spectators at the Steaua Stadium.

He claimed a promise that four turnstiles would be open for visiting fans was not kept, causing problems which were compounded, he claimed, by police using CS gas against angered Light Blues' supporters.

Bain said on Rangers' official website: "Obviously the behaviour of some of the fans inside the stadium was unacceptable and no-one likes to see that.

"However, what was equally unacceptable was the fact that Rangers came to this stadium with representatives from UEFA and Unirea a number of weeks ago and arranged for the four turnstiles to be open to give access to our supporters.

"When they arrived this evening there were only two turnstiles open which caused difficulty gaining access and (for) fans then to be sprayed with CS gas is totally unacceptable.

"I will now make representation to UEFA in their behalf."

Trouble at the match was described as a "minor incident" by Andy Kerr, president of the Rangers Supporters Assembly.

Kerr told Sky Sports News: "There was a bit of pressure at the front. Spray was used, which was used before the start of the match, and I think people reacted to that.

"I wouldn't say the Rangers fans did anything wrong. The organisation was very poor.

"(Before the match) they had two cordons of barriers to let people through. They used the spray there on more than one occasion and people were quite distressed by that."

Kerr did not see any fans ripping up seats, but stressed such behaviour was unacceptable.

"We don't condone it, we don't want to see it, but the vast majority of people behaved impeccably," he said.

"In the big scheme of things, (it's) a minor incident."