Rangers had every reason to believe Sunday would be remembered as one of the most important afternoons of Derek McInnes’ early reign. Dan Neil had delivered a stunning brace, Kevin Kelsy had opened his Rangers account, and Ibrox had witnessed a 3-0 demolition of Celtic that sent the home support into celebration. Yet, before the noise surrounding the result had even settled, another story began gathering momentum — and this time, it had nothing to do with the goals.
A pre-match tifo displayed inside Ibrox has triggered a fresh controversy after former Premier League referee Keith Hackett publicly called on the Scottish Football Association to intervene. The display recreated a notorious confrontation involving former Rangers midfielder Ian Ferguson and former Hearts player Mike Galloway, with the aggressive nature of the image becoming the centre of criticism.
But there is another detail that has made the controversy considerably more sensitive.
Mike Galloway died earlier this year.
That has transformed what might otherwise have been viewed as another provocative piece of Old Firm imagery into something much more uncomfortable, with questions now being raised about whether a deceased former player’s likeness should be used to recreate an aggressive incident from his playing career.
THE IMAGE THAT HAS NOW PUT THE SPOTLIGHT BACK ON IBROX
The tifo was unveiled in the Copland Road stand before the match, recreating a moment from Old Firm history in which Ferguson was shown grabbing Galloway’s shirt during a heated confrontation.
For Rangers supporters responsible for the display, it may have been intended as a reference to the uncompromising character and historic intensity associated with the rivalry.
But the image has been interpreted very differently by others.
The combination of physical aggression, historical rivalry and the recent death of one of the players involved has created a debate that goes far beyond ordinary football banter.
And now, a former senior referee has entered the conversation.
KEITH HACKETT HAS DELIVERED A BLUNT VERDICT — AND HIS MESSAGE TO THE SFA IS CLEAR
Keith Hackett, the former Premier League referee and former general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, has criticised the display and called for the SFA to contact Rangers.
Speaking to Ibrox News, Hackett described the tifo as unacceptable and argued that the governing body should make it clear that such imagery should not be repeated.
Importantly, Hackett has not called for Rangers to be docked points or for Ibrox to be closed.
His argument is centred on accountability and setting a clear boundary.
The message is essentially that if authorities believe certain imagery crosses the line, clubs and supporters should know exactly where that line is.
And that is where this controversy could become bigger than one banner.
THE SFA NOW FACES AN UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTION ABOUT WHERE THE LINE IS DRAWN
The SFA has yet to indicate that it has launched a formal disciplinary process over Sunday’s tifo.
That distinction matters.
Hackett’s comments are a call for action, not confirmation that the governing body has already decided to punish Rangers.
However, the timing makes the issue particularly sensitive.
Scottish football is already dealing with the consequences of serious supporter disorder involving the two Old Firm clubs earlier this year.
The last thing Rangers will want is for their emphatic victory over Celtic to become overshadowed by another disciplinary controversy.
Yet that is precisely what is beginning to happen.
THE MARCH CHAOS HAS MADE EVERY NEW OLD FIRM CONTROVERSY FAR MORE SERIOUS
The background to Sunday’s controversy stretches back to the Scottish Cup quarter-final between Rangers and Celtic in March.
Celtic eventually won on penalties, but the match became infamous for what happened after the final whistle.
Celtic supporters entered the pitch to celebrate, Rangers supporters then invaded the pitch, and a dangerous confrontation developed between supporters from both sides.
An independent review subsequently described scenes in which crushing and potentially life-threatening violence was narrowly avoided.
Missiles and pyrotechnics were thrown, police and stewards were forced to create a physical barrier, and arrests followed.
The consequences have continued to affect the Old Firm.
Both clubs were charged by the SFA over unacceptable conduct and later admitted the charges at a disciplinary hearing.
The resulting punishment included closed-door Scottish Cup fixtures and further consequences if similar disorder occurs again.
That history means the atmosphere surrounding Sunday’s tifo cannot simply be viewed in isolation.
The authorities are already watching supporter behaviour around the biggest rivalry in Scottish football extremely closely.
RANGERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THIS KIND OF CONTROVERSY BEFORE
This is also not the first time a Rangers tifo has attracted attention beyond the footballing world.
Last year, a display featuring Graeme Souness pointing what appeared to be a shotgun, accompanied by the phrase “Take aim against the rebel scum,” generated significant controversy.
Rangers condemned the display and distanced the club from the imagery.
Police investigated the incident but ultimately concluded that no criminal offence had been committed.
The SFA also did not impose a formal disciplinary sanction.
Another incident involved a Rangers banner displayed during European competition which referenced keeping “woke foreign ideologies” out of Europe.
UEFA subsequently fined the club.
Those incidents have contributed to a wider debate about whether strong public condemnation is enough when controversial displays repeatedly appear around major fixtures.
NOW THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE SFA WILL RESPOND DIFFERENTLY
That is perhaps the most intriguing part of the entire story.
Will Sunday’s display simply become another controversial tifo that generates criticism before disappearing from the headlines?
Or will the SFA decide that the circumstances are serious enough to warrant a formal response?
There is currently no confirmation that Rangers have been charged over the display.
There is also no indication that any sporting punishment has been imposed.
But Hackett’s intervention has ensured that the issue will not simply disappear quietly.
And with the next Old Firm meeting already approaching, the timing could hardly be more sensitive.
THE DEATH OF MIKE GALLOWAY HAS CHANGED THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION
For many supporters, football history is built around unforgettable images.
Old Firm matches have produced countless confrontations, celebrations and moments of extraordinary emotion.
But when one of the people at the centre of a historical image has died, the question of how that image is reused becomes more complicated.
Supporters may argue that the tifo was simply referencing a famous moment from football history.
Critics, however, can reasonably question whether reproducing an aggressive confrontation involving a recently deceased former player is appropriate.
That difference between intention and impact is at the heart of the debate.
The supporters behind the display may have intended one thing.
The people offended by it may have seen something completely different.
AND THIS IS WHY THE CONTROVERSY COULD FOLLOW RANGERS INTO THE NEXT OLD FIRM
The irony is that Rangers’ footballing performance on Sunday was strong enough to dominate the headlines on its own.
Dan Neil scored twice.
Kevin Kelsy found the net for the first time in Rangers colours.
Derek McInnes secured his first Old Firm victory as Rangers manager.
The scoreline was emphatic.
The atmosphere was electric.
And yet the tifo has created another conversation that threatens to compete with the result itself.
For Rangers, that is far from ideal.
The club will want attention focused on the progress being made under McInnes, particularly after such a convincing victory over their biggest rivals.
Instead, another debate about supporter conduct has emerged.
THE OLD FIRM RIVALRY IS HEADING INTO ANOTHER HIGH-PRESSURE PERIOD
The timing could hardly be more dramatic.
The two clubs are due to meet again in the Premiership at Celtic Park next Sunday, with further major meetings potentially ahead.
That means Sunday’s controversy is unlikely to exist in a vacuum.
The relationship between the supporters, the clubs and the governing authorities is already extremely tense following the events of March.
Every new banner, chant, pitch incident or controversial display is therefore likely to receive greater scrutiny.
And that is the uncomfortable reality facing Scottish football.
The Old Firm is supposed to be one of the game’s greatest rivalries.
Its passion is part of what makes it extraordinary.
But passion does not automatically justify everything displayed in its name.
THE BIG QUESTION NOW HANGS OVER THE SFA
Will the governing body act?
Will it contact Rangers as Hackett has urged?
Will the club respond to the controversy?
Or will Sunday’s tifo eventually become another example of a highly controversial display that produces enormous public debate but little formal action?
At this stage, there are more questions than answers.
What cannot be ignored, however, is that the controversy arrives at an extremely delicate moment for Scottish football.
Rangers have just destroyed Celtic 3-0.
McInnes has his first Old Firm victory.
Neil has emerged as one of the afternoon’s biggest heroes.
And yet, remarkably, the story surrounding the match is already being pulled in another direction.
For Rangers supporters, the celebrations will continue.
For Celtic supporters, the 3-0 defeat will hurt for some time.
But for the SFA, the latest tifo controversy presents a completely different challenge — deciding where the boundary between fierce rivalry and unacceptable matchday imagery should actually be drawn.
And with another Old Firm clash already waiting next weekend, this argument may be nowhere near finished.
