I can't work out if this is a serious statement or not

http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/club-statement-60/

 

What was it? Just takes you an error page.

 

Hmm. It works for me. It's an official club statement from Rangers playing the victims.

 

Rangers finds it incomprehensible that no one, either from within the Scottish FA or Hibernian Football Club, has condemned Hibernian’s supporters following the violent scenes at the end of yesterday’s Scottish Cup final when Rangers players and members of our backroom staff were physically and verbally assaulted. We have not even had the courtesy of any contact whatsoever from Hibernian to ask after the wellbeing of those who were attacked by their club’s supporters.

There must be a full independent investigation into the shameful scenes at Hampden. Rangers is also at a complete loss to understand why certain individuals have hastily attempted to gloss over the appalling events which unfolded at the end of Saturday’s final.

No matter how many times Hibernian’s chairman and Scottish FA vice-chairman, Rod Petrie, and certain other biased commentators wish to play down Saturday’s mayhem and violence, the truth must not be distorted. What unfolded on Saturday cannot and must not be put down to exuberance. That is a complete insult to Rangers, our supporters, and those individuals who were intimidated and attacked.

It was clear to most of those who watched in horror that the Scottish FA’s security procedures failed when Hibernian’s fans went over the top in their thousands. It is to be hoped that all of Scottish football will share Rangers’ disgust and any attempts to attach blame to our supporters for the disgraceful and violent behaviour, which led to our players and fans fearing for their safety, will not be accepted or tolerated by this Club.

We acknowledge that a tiny minority of Rangers fans also encroached on the pitch but only after having been faced with prolonged and severe provocation and in order to protect our players and officials who were being visibly attacked in front of them. Any club’s supporters would have done the same. This distressing and deeply disturbing episode would never have happened had Hibs fans behaved properly but as they swarmed across the pitch it became immediately obvious that the security procedures were inadequate and had failed.

These fans were allowed to rush, unchecked, towards Rangers supporters at the opposite end of the stadium – all the while goading and threatening them. This makes it preposterous to suggest Rangers fans were somehow to blame as some commentators appear anxious to do. This thuggish behaviour must be investigated and as many culprits as possible brought to book and formally charged. This is the second time in a year that Rangers fans have had to endure attacks by another club’s supporters.

It must also be said that it was not at all helpful to see leading members of the Scottish Government, including the First Minister whose parish is Govan, passing comment on social media without any attempt to condemn the behaviour of Hibernian’s fans. These failures are unbecoming of our elected representatives.

Certain media outlets have also attempted to distort reality. In the case of the BBC this is, of course, not news. BBC employees, in particular Stuart Cosgrove, believe Rod Petrie’s comments to be ‘balanced’ and others speak of a ‘minority’ of Hibernian supporters. Another, Tom English, who was not even at the match, would prefer the authorities to focus on Rangers fans’ reaction. We will not endure this insult.

So, let everyone be clear on one thing – Rangers demands that players, staff and fans be protected from the violence and hatred of supporters of other clubs. Rangers fully expects the Scottish FA and Police Scotland to take action to provide our people with a safe environment. When players are unable to accept medals at the end of a final because of fears for their safety and our supporters are alarmed and extremely concerned for the women and children among them, then surely every step must be taken to ensure that this is never repeated.

 

A joke surely.

 

Got it now. Scenes were disgraceful, I agree with that much, but this does come across as a bit of bairnin' cos they lost.

 

Playing the victims, their fans are no angels.

It'd be like West Ham releasing a statement blaming the Man Utd bus for getting in the way of their fans bottles and bricks.

 

No it isn't. Not in any way shape or form are they the same things.

 

Yes it is. Rangers crying because another set of fans managed to act like an even bigger set of c*nts than their own, although they gave it a good try on the day too.

 

You're obsessed, give it a rest for **** sake man.

 

It's difficult not to laugh when they release a statement like that. It's brilliant.

 

Its not the same thing at all. Your comparison makes no sense.

Although I will say the statement is, at best, odd. They should let the authorities get on with it. They've not even let 24 hours go by before making this bizarre statement.

 

It's the women and children who live with the idiots that will lap this sh*t up that I feel sorry for.

 

That is exactly my point. It's just as bizarre as West Ham releasing a statement blaming the United bus.

 

You're being far too harsh. They are a new club - still finding their feet in the world of professional football.

 

No. For that comparison to work you'd need Hibernian to release a statement blaming Rangers players for getting in the way of their supporters fists.

 

I think you've completely missed the point.

 

I don't think I have. I think your point is that Rangers fans are cvunts and there is a massive irony in Rangers releasing this statement due to the fact that in general, Rangers fans are the ones being the cvnts. I get that.

Its your comparison which made little sense.

 

The comparison is in the statements and how bizarre it would be for West Ham to blame the United bus. I'm not actually comparing the two incidents.

 

No.