Graeme Souness condemns recent Old Firm crowd trouble

Souness revealed he reacted with “sadness and anger in equal measure” as he watched on at Ibrox on Sunday as a post-match pitch invasion overshadowed Celtic’s Scottish Cup triumph.

Dozens of the 7,500 visiting fans spilled on to the Ibrox pitch to celebrate their team’s penalty shootout triumph before more than 100 Rangers fans charged from the other end to confront them.

Injuries to police, stewards and fans, including a 10-year-old child, followed amid missile-throwing and violent incidents, while a man was arrested following an alleged assault on a Celtic player and coach.

Souness said on talkSPORT: “It’s a small element of supporters that react to defeat in a negative way. As much as they try to control it, alcohol does play a part in it, unfortunately. I was on my way to a stadium and, on both sides, people are topping themselves up, and that would be before lunch.”

Souness had marvelled in the pre-match atmosphere after Scottish Cup rules ensured the away allocation returned to pre-2018 levels, but he fears that will be the last time. “I have to say, what a difference having the Celtic supporters there, the whole Broomloan (Stand) was full,” the former Scotland captain said.

“It just added to the atmosphere. It is, in my opinion, the biggest derby in the world. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll see that again. What happened on Sunday will mean we won’t see away supporters in the stadium again, not in those numbers anyway.

“It takes so much away from the game. Although it wasn’t a great game, both of them generated an unbelievable atmosphere.

“No matter what you think about Scottish football, Rangers and Celtic are monsters. They are not football clubs, they are institutions. And what makes them institutions is the passion that their supporters have for their clubs.

“And, as always, a small minority spoil it for everyone. I got my phone out before the game and filmed the scenes. It is the biggest, most passionate football match you will ever go to.

“But I think it will be a long time before we see that number of away supporters again.”