Smith fears heavy UEFA action
Rangers manager Walter Smith believes further offensive chanting from supporters will see Ibrox closed and the club possibly frozen out of any European leagues in the future.
The Glasgow club are set to be reported by Scottish Premier League delegate Alan Dick for alleged sectarian chanting during the match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday.
Tonight’s Champions League qualifier against FK Zeta in Montenegro will also be closely scrutinised by UEFA, who have fined Rangers a total of £21,000 for past offences in European matches.
Rangers fans were found guilty of discriminatory chanting in a Champions League qualifier against Villarreal in March 2006.
Smith is concerned that any more problems would have dire consequences for Rangers who are defending a 2-0 lead from the first leg.
He said: “UEFA are wanting to stamp the problem out. They have fined the club on previous occasions.
“The next time there will be no fine. They are going to close the stadium.
“If people see that they can’t come and watch a game then that might bring them to their senses.
“But I’m more concerned about the longer term implications.
“I don’t think Rangers or Celtic will ever be accepted in to the Premiership.
“I believe it is more likely that a European league will form and with the situation that we are in at the moment, we would probably be prohibited from joining any such set-up.
“The consequences of that would be far-reaching for the club.
“If we are not in the position to join a European league when it is formed - and it will be – then it would have dire consequences for Rangers.
“That’s what these supporters are hindering.”
