Fixtures between Aberdeen and Rangers have always had a turbulent undercurrent, both on and off field. Trouble between both sets of supporters made the news back in 2005 when at another game at Pittodrie, players where spat at and missiles thrown, while the game in 2002 was held up for 20 minutes when Aberdeen striker Robbie Winters was struck on the head by a coin. In that incident, riot police had to ring the pitch before order was restored and the two teams could return to finish the match.
Naturally for the police, this particular fixture causes more headaches than most other league games at Pittodrie, so it is good therefore to hear that Grampian police where able to report that no arrests where made before, during or after Saturdays game which ended in a 0-0 draw. Said Superintendent Adrian Watson "I am delighted we did not have to resort to arrests in a fixture that has caused challenges in the past."
With nothing much to say about the dire on-field performances of Aberdeen and Rangers on the field, it's good to read that both sets of supporters did not make up for the lack of entertainment on the field by taking lumps out of each other, the stadium or the players, and generally doing Scottish football fans proud in a week when the Millwall supporters, on an away day at Hull reminded us all that hooliganism still exists.
So, Performance of the Week goes to the well behaved fans of Aberdeen and Rangers.
I refuse to believe that Millwall "fans" are much beyond hooligans.
ReplyDeleteSurely being banned from the stadium and denying the club you so loyally fight for (in their own way) that little extra revenue is detrimental to the team?
I was never a big one for hooliganism, angry chants or even informing the referee of his illigitimate birth. I dont think there is any call for it in football. Banter is one thing, flat out abuse is another.
Passion? Please, its bullying.