Rangers fans who raised funds to pay for damage to Glasgow city centre after lockdown-busting title celebrations will be asked to pay an £11,000 bill, Glasgow City Council has revealed.
The costs of damage includes more than £4,000 to repair and replace memorial benches wrecked in George Square after hundreds of fans gathered to celebrate the club’s league win. A further £4,000 is needed to replant flower beds.
The bill was revealed amid fears of more disruption at next Sunday’s Old Firm game. Yesterday, Rangers manager Steven Gerrard told supporters to stay home.
The city council says damage to lawns at the eastern end of the square amounted to almost £3,000, while bedding plants to the value of nearly £500 are also required. The costs do not include tidy-up work required to be carried out at the Cenotaph memorial in the square which has still to be finalised.
Glasgow City Council will this week send the bill, which stands at £11,407 so far, to a publican who organised an online fundraiser to cover the cost of damage to the memorial benches.
Fans gathered in the square, as well as at Ibrox stadium, following Celtic’s failure to beat Dundee United last Sunday, which meant Rangers won their first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years. The supporters were heavily criticised for flouting lockdown. Robert Marshall, who runs The Louden Tavern, set a target of £5,500 but £9,850 had been raised by Friday. Marshall said the damage was unintentional but “is not something the Rangers support would like to have seen done and, as a result, we are fundraising to replace these benches as a true and sincere gesture of respect.”
The council said yesterday: “Mr Marshall took no part in the events of last weekend and this week he said that ‘if Rangers fans had been responsible for the damage then Rangers fans should pay for it’. That’s a helpful step towards healing the hurt caused by last week’s behaviour. We’ve discussed the costs of replacing the benches this weekend and we’ll be issuing an invoice to him next week.”
James Tavernier, Rangers captain.
Message is clear and unequivocal.
Stay home. Stay safe. Support Rangers 👍🏼🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/XMErDRqtV8
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) March 13, 2021
Police made 28 arrests and seven people were issued with fixed penalty notices or would be reported to the fiscal. Deputy First Minister John Swinney branded the scenes “an absolute disgrace” while ministers said the Old Firm match was in the balance.
Rangers said they had “proactively engaged” with politicians and said criticism was unfair. Manager Steven Gerrard told fans yesterday: “We want you there with us but sadly, right now, you can’t be. The best place you can support my players this Sunday is from the comfort of your own home.”
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