Scott Brown has pleaded with Celtic and Rangers fans to behave themselves for the good of the Old Firm fixture, suggesting that balaclavas should lead to a ban for supporters wearing them.
This Sunday's Old Firm clash between Celtic and Rangers at Ibrox will be the first of a run of Old Firm fixtures that will not have any away supporters in attendance. Away fans will not be allowed to any of the derby games this season due to an agreement between the clubs and authorities.
The decision involved some pettiness, but it comes down to a lack of confidence from the clubs and the police that fans can be kept in check on the back of last season's Scottish Cup disaster.
After Celtic won on penalties, some Bhoys fans spilt onto the pitch in celebration, and in response, Rangers fans did the same. After the Bhoys fans were ushered back into the stand, many more Gers fans approached the away end, leading to an extremely dangerous situation that saw items aplenty tossed either way.
It was a scary sight, with many Rangers fans wearing balaclavas in a bid to hide their identity, planning to get up to no good, and while that might look one way for an adult fan, spare a thought for the women and children who were trapped in the stand, not knowing if those face-covered fans were about to descend upon them.
There is no place for that in football, but there is also no hiding that some Celtic fans played their part in how the situation unfolded, and both clubs need to own that and put in a better plan to make sure fans behave themselves, and that the troublemakers are prevented from attending games.
“I think the passion of the two teams and the willingness to have the bragging rights, it’s now just going to be behind closed doors and there’s going to be no fans," Celtic legend Brown told STV.
“I’m not a big thing for people running on the pitch and the violence and throwing stuff. That’s not part of the game, but we need to get back to that passion.
“You stay in your seat, enjoy the game, watch the scenario unfold in 90 minutes, sing, support your club, and after that, look, all is forgiven. Have the bragging rights with your mates and have a bit of banter.
“But look, it’s a game of football. It’s not a fighting game. It’s not a place to go and vent at people… that a few words that you don’t want to say and bring stuff in.
“You turn up with a balaclava, you deserve to be banished for the rest of your life.”
Indeed they should.
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