Rangers hit out at ‘outrageous’ Ibrox disaster stickers in Hibs end as visiting club condemns behaviour

Both Rangers and Hibs have condemned the actions of some travelling supporters who defaced seats with sickening graffiti messages about the Ibrox disaster during the Premiership match between the two clubs on Saturday.

Many seats were destroyed in the away end at Ibrox, while various messages were spray-painted in green on the blue seats - including the number 66, in reference to the number of people who lost their lives during a crush inside the Glasgow stadium in 1971. Stickers with pictures of Stairway 13 saying “stairwell Thirteen – it’s the greatest sight that I have ever seen” were also plastered across a number of seats, while the death of Queen Elizabeth II was also mocked and pro-IRA messages were written across the area housing Hibs fans.

Rangers issued a strong statement that read: “Rangers condemns in the strongest possible terms the graffiti and stickers left by a section of the Hibernian supporters at Ibrox this afternoon. The Ibrox Disaster remains the darkest day in our club’s history, and continues to affect a number families to this day. The mocking and celebration of such an event is outrageous, and has no place in any football stadium or society as a whole. Rangers will be pleased to work with Hibernian to identify those responsible.”

A Hibs spokesperson responded: “Hibernian FC is aware of the intolerable graffiti and stickers found in the away end at Ibrox today and condemns the behaviour of the individuals that were involved. The Club will work with Rangers to identify those responsible and will take the most serious action possible against anyone involved. If any Hibernian FC supporter has any information that could assist the Club to help identify these individuals, they should contact [email protected] and the information provided will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.”

Rangers won the match 4-0 at Ibrox in what was Philippe Clement’s first game in charge as manager.