Aberdeen support tifo celebrations near anniversary of brutal challenge on Rangers legend

Aberdeen has openly supported a special tifo honoring Neil Simpson on the anniversary of his fatal challenge on Rangers icon Ian Durrant.

The Aberdeen Fans initiative will reveal the contentious Neil Simpson tifo during the club’s Scottish Premiership match against Hearts at Pittodrie this afternoon (06/10).

Tomorrow we honour the local loon who lived the dream.

The Fans Project have organised a Tifo tribute for Neil Simpson ahead of Sunday’s match.

Please ensure you’re at your seat by 2.45pm to welcome Simmy onto the pitch.
@NeilSimmy8 pic.twitter.com/pxEo609rq1

— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) October 5, 2024

This tifo has also been approved by Aberdeen, who have pushed the contentious decision on their official club social media accounts and even invited Neil Simpson to the field.

8 APR 1995: IAN DURRANT OF GLASGOW RANGERS IN ACTION DURING THE GLASGOW RANGERS V ABERDEEN SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT IBROX IN GLASGOW. Mand…

Rangers supporters have criticized the Dons for glamorizing one of the most horrific episodes in Scottish football history.

Aberdeen Ian Durrant tifo coincidence.

While Aberdeen make no mention of the challenge on Ian Durrant, which cost the brilliant Scotland midfielder three years of his promising career, the tackle’s anniversary falls on the same day.

On October 8, 1988, Neil Simpson delivered a brutal tackle on Ian Durrant, causing the Aberdeen player to damage the ligaments in the Rangers’ knee.

The event is inscribed into the annals of the Rangers-Dons rivalry, and it left an everlasting imprint on Ian Durrant’s career.

Around 30,000 Rangers fans reportedly went out for a reserve game to watch Durrant make his comeback in January 1991, and the midfielder also began a dramatic ‘winner takes all’ league tie against the Dons at the conclusion of that season.

Rangers beat the Dons 2-0, with Mark Hateley scoring both goals to win the club’s third championship in 9IAR.

Ian Durrant also sued Neil Simpson for the aggressive challenge and paid for damages in 1993, claiming the challenge was a ‘act of great irresponsibility’ (Independent).

Almost 40 years later, the nasty tackle has further fueled animosity between Rangers and Aberdeen supporters.

It also revolutionized the career of one of Scotland’s most gifted young players.

Rangers must make their sentiments clear to Aberdeen.

While Simpson had a successful Aberdeen career in both the local and foreign leagues, the timing of the tifo is unclear and has created huge worries in Rangers circles.

The picture of Simpson flying into Durrant’s knee is widely used to goad Rangers fans and represents the degree of ill-feeling some Dons supporters have with the Ibrox.

Songs about the tackle continue to ring out on Aberdeen’s terraces, with the violent challenge being celebrated by some of the northeast club’s supporters.

Aberdeen’s excuse of ignorance about the date is an insult to fans’ intellect.

Rangers fans have called on the club to respond to this decision and support Ian Durrant.

Rangers supporters are outraged and believe the action is deceitful of Aberdeen as a football club, whether by refusing to welcome Aberdeen directors or making a public show of solidarity.

It’s difficult to disagree.

The celebration of the challenge is very vulgar and has no place on the terraces or in sport, and rather than criticising it, the Dons seem to be encouraging it.

We’ll have to wait for a reaction from the Rangers boardroom, which must be outraged that this has been allowed to happen and Aberdeen has given it its official support.

It’s classless at best, cruel at worst, and we believe any convivial atmosphere inside the boardrooms will vanish with the tifo’s introduction this afternoon.