I would say Celtic and Rangers are as bad as each other
The book
Race, Sport and British Society says there was racist abuse of
Celtic player
Paul Wilson by
Rangers fans in the 1970s: "Rangers fans repeatedly bayed 'Wilson's a
Paki' when Celtic played Rangers".
[96] There have been reports that some
Rangers fans used to sing "I'd rather be a darkie than a Tim".
[97][98][99] The book
Sport and National Identity In the Post-War World says "black players in Scotland were greeted with bananas thrown from the crowd and a barrage of 'monkey grunts', notably
Mark Walters of Rangers and
Paul Elliott of Celtic."
[99] On 2 January 1988, Rangers winger Mark Walters made his debut in the
Old Firm derby match at
Celtic Park. Rangers lost 2–0 and Walters was subjected to racist abuse from opposing Celtic fans who were caught on camera chanting like monkeys, throwing fruit, (mostly bananas) onto the pitch and dressing in monkey costumes.
[100] It was reported that Rangers fans used "implicit racism" on the same day by singing "I'd rather be a darkie than a Tim (Celtic Fan)".
[99] Although Celtic slammed the perpetrators, the
Scottish Football Association remained silent.
[101] According to Walters, he experienced even worse racial abuse in Edinburgh against
Hearts.
[96] Following racist abuse aimed at Walters, Rangers banned some of their own season ticket holders.
[102] Andrew Smith from
The Scotsman newspaper stated: "It is depressing to think that enforcement as much as enlightenment might account for Walters being the only black footballer in this country to have had bananas thrown at them."
[100]
Rangers captain
Lorenzo Amoruso issued a public apology after a match in December 1999 for making racist comments against
Borussia Dortmund's
Nigerian striker
Victor Ikpeba.
[103] In March 2003, Rangers fans were accused of racially abusing
Bobo Balde and
Momo Sylla.
[104][105][106][107] Rangers chairman
John McClelland stated that ""There was such a crescendo during Saturday's match although I thought I heard noises of this kind I can't be 100% sure."
[107] In May 2004,
Marvin Andrews condemned racism from some Rangers fans.
[108]
In November 2004, then manager of
Celtic Martin O'Neill suggested Neil Lennon was the subject of chants of a "racial and sectarian manner".
[109]
During a
2007 Scottish Cup tie,
St. Johnstone player
Jason Scotland was the target of racist taunts by a handful of
Motherwell fans. The offenders were promptly reprimanded by the spectators around them and were reported to police and match stewards.
[110] Motherwell chairman
John Boyle later issued an apology on behalf of the club.
[111] Motherwell were to court further controversy on 3 September 2007 when
Laryea Kingston of Hearts was abused, although Motherwell refuted the claims.
[112]
In October 2009, Rangers player
Maurice Edu said he was racially abused by some Rangers fans while leaving
Ibrox after a
UEFA Champions League defeat by
Unirea Urziceni.
[3] Edu wrote on Twitter: "Not sure what hurt more: result or being racially abused by couple of our own fans as I'm getting in my car."
Three Scottish judges ruled in June 2009 that
The Famine song is racist because it targets people of Irish origin.
[113][114] Peat has also stated that the SFA is determined to contribute to the eradication of offensive songs from Scottish football.
[116] In November 2008, a Rangers fan was found guilty of a breach of the peace (aggravated by religious and racial prejudice) for singing
The Famine Song during a game against
Kilmarnock.
[117] It was widely reported after an
Old Firm game in February 2009 that Rangers fans had sung
The Famine Song at
Celtic Park.
[118][119] The Famine Song was also sung in March 2011 at a Scottish football game by Rangers fans,
[120][121] nevertheless, Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill described the match as a "great advert for Scottish football."
[122] The Herald journalist Doug Gillon has written that "the sectarian intolerance which divides Scottish society [...] is rooted in anti-Irish racism."
[123]
In February 2011, in an
Old Firm match at
Celtic Park a
Celtic supporter was caught mocking black
Rangers player
El Hadji Diouf with monkey noises and gestures as he was about to take a corner kick.
[124]