Scottish Catholic Observer

Despite the team’s high-profile measures of tackling this behaviour in recent years, their 0-1 defeat by Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon was marred further by songs such as The Billy Boys, previously banned by UEFA.

The football club’s fans are said to have also targeted match day referee Iain Brines with anti-Catholic slurs in response to his refereeing decisions during the match, such as the sending-off of Bosnian defender Sasa Papac.

“Sadly poisonous sectarian bigotry is all too often a part of some Rangers’ fans identity,” Peter Kearney, spokesman for the Scottish bishops, said.

“Despite repeated efforts by the club—and to their great embarrassment—anti-Catholic hostility is still alive and well among many Rangers fans.”

The anti-Catholic chants came during an afternoon of protests by Rangers supporters that included rallies outside Ibrox against the team’s financial mismanagement.

The chanting was condemned further by Dave Scott, campaign director from anti-bigotry charity Nil by Mouth.

“This was a day when some Rangers fans came to show their true feelings for their club,” Mr Scott said. “I suspect any true supporter will be sickened to their stomach that others have chosen this day of all days to dredge up these songs of hate and ignorance.”

Rangers have not yet commented on the issue of sectarian chanting.

The Scottish Government’s first legislative action against bigotry and sectarianism, The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012, comes into force next month.