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Rangers ban fans they just praised
ANDREW MUIRHEAD looks at the stance the club has taken following the scenes at Hampden Park in their Scottish Cup final defeat to Hibs

A mere two months after Rangers commended their fans for showing “restraint” following their 3-2 defeat to Hibernian in the Scottish Cup final, the Ibrox club has now issued letters banning the same fans indefinitely for the violence that stained Scottish football’s premier cup competition.

The club’s imposing of bans on fans — even those who have not been found guilty yet — flies in the face of statements issued by the club in the days following the cup final.

The first statement praised Rangers supporters for their “restraint… under severe provocation” — despite footage showing quite clearly that Rangers fans willingly invaded the pitch to attack Hibernian fans.

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