Rangers vs Celtic: “Disgraceful scenes with toxicity spreading in the Old Company Cup match”

As if the ugliness of the 120 minutes wasn’t enough – the horrific battle, the sheer panic, the severe lack of anything resembling cohesion or even competence – there was the post-match ignominy.

Celtic reached the Scottish Cup semi-final having had one shot on target and no shots on target.

They managed to hang on all day despite their terrible shortcomings, winning the penalty shootout because Rangers responded poorly.

On a day full of blocks, misplaced passes, wide crosses, missed free-kicks, aerial duels, hoofballs, head tennis, kicks, endless fouls and a chronic lack of accuracy, the latest action was Tomas Czevankara’s victory over Jack Butland.

Or at least we hoped this would be the final chapter.

This was not the case, of course. The day’s finale included a pitch invasion from many, many Celtic fans at the Broomlawn Road end. There were 7,500 of them at Ibrox. Going back to the way things were before 2018. Wrong. Big, big mistake.

At first, Rangers fans in the Copeland Stand reacted, with a small number threatening to pile onto the pitch and go into battle. They were returned in quick order.

More Celtic people poured in, dancing, waving and cajoling. Red rags for rangers bulls. Celtic staff asked them to evacuate but their pleas were ignored.