Guard Of Honour – Aye Or Naw?

Date: 9th May 2019

Celtic have just clinched their eighth Scottish top flight title in a row. As fate would have it, the Premiership champions have been paired to meet rivals Rangers next. 

The upcoming clash has come with extra dramatic baggage as a debate brews about whether or not Rangers should provide the champs with a guard of honour before kick-off on Sunday?

Newspapers reports suggest the Ibrox side won’t be applauding their opponents onto the field. 

Personally I can see reasons for it and reasons against doing it. 

By doing it, Rangers would be showing respect for the league campaign that’s just taken place and respect for recent tradition. 

Celtic have recently lost club legends Billy McNeill and Stevie Chalmers and it could be a classy nod to them and show that football is more than just rivalry if The Gers were to give a special guard of honour. 

This season has seen a lot of controversy in our game with crowd trouble and it could be a way of showing the supporters that there is respect within the game and it  would then set an example. 

Reasons for being against it? 

Well it is a fierce rivalry and one that is known throughout the world. It’s extremely difficult to put things aside for such an occasion. 

I feel a guard of honour might make the game a bit irrelevant. I’ve never been a fan of it, if you are going to do it then do it after the final game of the season. To do it before a fierce derby encounter leaves me a bit cold and it might distract the players. 

As I’ve already mentioned we’ve seen issues with fan behaviour all over Scotland this season and if we are being honest, the sight of Gers players clapping their rivals may be too much for a certain ‘fan’ and it might cause unnecessary trouble at the game.  

Rangers should want to show Celtic that they are ready to challenge them next season and give them a bloody nose this Sunday lunchtime. At the same time Celtic will want to go out and show their dominance and that they haven’t lost their hunger after securing their current title! 

Really, I just think the whole rigmarole is just a bit pointless. I don’t think the players care much about it, I certainly don’t think Scott Brown and company want to clinch a title to then see rival players applaud them onto a pitch. They are winners who want the trophy and to celebrate with each other and their own supporters. I don’t think they’ll want a forced sign of respect from a rival team. 

Ultimately it’s down to Rangers as to whether or not that they decide to give a guard of honour. Plenty of teams have done it in the past and others have chosen not to. 

If they do then fine, if they don’t then fine. In the end it really doesn’t matter! 

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