Ibrox bus blaze ‘not a hate crime’

Rangers bus attack nothing to do with football or sectarianism.

A fire that wrecked Rangers’ luxury team bus wasn’t the result of a sectarian attack or football rivalry, we can reveal.

The £500,000 custom-made vehicle was reduced to “a heap of scrap” when a series of explosions ripped through Bruce’s Coaches depot in Salsburgh, Lanarkshire.

Initially it was feared the blaze, in July, was the result of arson fuelled by sectarian hatred, but investigators have now ruled that out.

An insider said: “There is no evidence at all the fire had anything to do with football.

“It would appear to be nothing more than a coincidence that the Rangers’ team bus was at the depot.

“The investigation team are focusing locally to try to uncover the real motive for the attack.”

At the time of the attack Ibrox boss Ally McCoist hit out at the incident believing it was related to the presence of the brand new Rangers team coach in Bruce’s depot. He blasted: “It saddens me. It really does. I think it’s pathetic that people would go to these extremes.

“It sounds like a premeditated attack on Rangers’ bus and I’m gutted about it but thankfully nobody’s been killed.”

The blaze started in the early hours of July 20th, with eight fire engines as well as paramedic teams attending the incident.

Neighbours reported hearing several explosions as the fire took hold.

Three other coaches, including a second one used by the Ibrox club, were also burned out.

A building within the depot compound was seriously damaged when its roof collapsed. No members of staff were working at the time of the fire.

Rangers had only taken delivery of the state-of-the-art bus from the Netherlands a month earlier. The coach had been decked out in the club’s own tartan and had the registration R1 WTP a reference to the fans’ chant We Are The People.

It also featured all mod cons including satellite TV, kitchen facilities and a physio treatment area.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “Inquiries into the incident at Bruce’s Coaches are ongoing. There have been no arrests. There was no sectarian or football related motivation.”

Rangers declined to comment.

Meanwhile it’s emerged the club’s chief executive Craig Mather has hired PR specialist Jack Irvine to help him deal with investors attempting to remove him.

The Media House spokesman’s one-year appointment was announced on Friday night ahead of Rangers 6-0 victory over Airdrie.

Clyde Blowers chairman Jim McColl and his Blue Knights consortium are attempting to remove Mather from the Ibrox board.

The development comes just a week after the club issued a statement titled For The Avoidance of Doubt. It stated: “Jack Irvine of Media House does not speak for this club.”

Asked about the appointment Jim Traynor, head of communications at Ibrox, would only say : “I have not spoken to Jack and I have not had any dealings with him. As far as I’m concerned that is the way it will stay.”

Irvine, who already represents club investors Sandy and James Easdale, said: “The board felt that they were not successfully articulating their defence against the vicious and at times underhand attacks of Jim McColl, Frank Blin and Paul Murray.

“The board also felt that there are huge public misconceptions about the financial realities of the club and once again this was a failure of communication.”