Proclaimers worried by prospect of Ibrox no more

CELEBRITY Hibs supporters The Proclaimers famously fronted Hands Off Hibs more than 20 years ago when Hearts owner Wallace Mercer infamously launched a bid to take over the stricken club. Twins Craig and Charlie Reid now fear for the future of Rangers after the Glasgow giants were placed in administration.

The pair, who were at Easter Road yesterday to launch the SPL Trust Music Box, are both planning to attend this weekend’s visit of Celtic and they know the travelling support will already be celebrating the league title after their fierce city rivals were hit with a ten-point penalty.

Craig said: “We’ll be here on Sunday, if only to see the party in the away end. They’ve won the league and their bitter rivals are humiliated. But whatever you do or don’t think about Rangers, if a major employer and a major force in Scottish football went to the wall, it would be horrific. It would also be disgraceful if they are liquidated then reform as another club. If I was a Rangers supporter I’d be ashamed of what was going on at my club.

“We’re old enough to remember we were so close to going under. When you remember that very clearly any supporter who’s seen that, you’ve got to temper your enthusiasm for spending.”

Charlie remembers too well the anguish of Hibs going so close to collapsing and feels for the Rangers fans.

He said: “The punters who buy their tickets at Ibrox have to pay their taxes. Everyone will be sticking the boot into Rangers just now and it would be a tragedy if the club goes, a real catastrophe. But that level of mismanagement season-in, season-out, I’m astonished it was allowed to carry on and that the Scottish authorities here didn’t act more quickly like they do in places like France.

“I take no joy in what’s happened to Rangers, a team that rich, that successful, that well supported, it should never have come to this.”

The pair would love to see Hibs manager Pat Fenlon be given more cash to spend on players but know from first-hand experience that the club can’t live beyond its means.

Charlie added: “It’s been tough as a Hibs fan since John Hughes left. You have to question the balance at Easter Road. Off the park it’s right... [but] I’m glad we’re in the position we’re in compared with Rangers or some other Scottish clubs.”