Keith Hackett demands that the SFA make contact with Rangers concerning the Ibrox tifo.

Keith Hackett has urged the Scottish Football Association to contact Rangers following a controversial fan display shown before the club’s 3-0 Premier Sports Cup victory over Celtic at Ibrox.

The former Premier League referee and ex-PGMOL general manager believes the tifo crossed a line and should prompt a warning from the governing body, adding another layer of controversy to an Old Firm fixture already surrounded by concerns about supporter behaviour.

On the pitch, Rangers produced one of their most impressive performances of the season. Dan Neil scored twice, with Kevin Kelsy also finding the net, as Derek McInnes’ side swept Celtic aside and secured their place in the League Cup semi-finals. The victory provided McInnes with a major statement in his first Old Firm meeting as manager.

Away from the football, however, attention has also focused on the supporters’ display before kick-off.

The tifo and the reaction

Rangers supporters unveiled a huge display across the Copland Road before the match. It depicted the famous 1993 confrontation involving Rangers player Ian Ferguson and Celtic player Mike Galloway, with Ferguson shown grabbing Galloway by his shirt.

Mike Galloway died earlier in 2026, making the decision to use the historic confrontation as the central image particularly sensitive. The display also carried the message “Fight and never fear,” according to reports covering the Ibrox display.

Hackett believes the aggressive imagery was inappropriate, especially at a time when relations between Rangers, Celtic, supporters and the football authorities remain tense.

Speaking to Ibrox News, Hackett called on the SFA to intervene.

“It is completely unacceptable and the Scottish Football Association should contact Rangers to advise them that it is unsuitable,” he said.

Hackett added: “With that contact they should give a clear warning that it must not be used again.”

Old Firm safety concerns

The latest controversy comes against a backdrop of serious problems surrounding Old Firm matches.

There were no Celtic supporters inside Ibrox for Sunday’s League Cup quarter-final because the SPFL has agreed that Rangers and Celtic will have no away fans at their meetings in SPFL competitions for the remainder of the 2026/27 season. The decision followed the disorder that occurred during the Scottish Cup quarter-final between the clubs at Ibrox in March.

The Scottish FA subsequently ordered both Rangers and Celtic to play their next home Scottish Cup matches behind closed doors. The governing body’s response demonstrated how seriously the authorities are treating crowd trouble involving the two Glasgow clubs.

Rangers had also issued supporter guidance before the latest derby, reminding fans that discriminatory or offensive chanting, pyrotechnics, violence, throwing objects and entering restricted areas could have serious consequences for both individuals and the club.

Against that background, Hackett believes the latest tifo deserved attention from the SFA.

Previous Rangers tifo controversies

This is not the first time a Rangers fan display has attracted controversy.

Last year, police investigated another tifo at Ibrox which showed former Rangers manager Graeme Souness pointing a shotgun, accompanied by the words “Take aim against the rebel scum.”

Rangers condemned that display at the time. Police ultimately concluded that no criminal offence had been committed, while the SFA did not issue a response.

Rangers also faced UEFA punishment in March of the previous year after a discriminatory banner was displayed. The message read: “Keep woke foreign ideologies out. Defend Europe.”

That history explains why Hackett believes the latest display should not simply be dismissed as part of the colour and theatre traditionally associated with the Old Firm.

A wider debate for Rangers

The controversy arrives immediately after a hugely positive afternoon for McInnes and his players. Rangers’ 3-0 victory over Celtic was emphatic, with Neil’s brace and Kelsy’s goal sending the home support into celebration.

McInnes’ tactical approach worked exceptionally well, with Rangers pressing aggressively and dominating important areas of the game. Celtic struggled to respond and ultimately suffered their first domestic defeat of the season.

For Rangers supporters, the result represented a major boost. Yet the tifo controversy means the club could face further questions away from the pitch.

The incident has also reopened debate over where passionate rivalry ends and unacceptable imagery begins, with supporters likely to disagree sharply over whether the display was simply historical football culture or something that should have been avoided entirely. amid heightened tensions around modern Old Firm matches.

With tensions surrounding Old Firm fixtures already high, the authorities are likely to remain focused on supporter behaviour. Rangers will therefore hope the attention stays on their impressive victory rather than another dispute involving the stands.

For now, the footballing result belongs firmly to McInnes and his players, but Hackett’s intervention ensures the discussion surrounding the Ibrox derby will continue well beyond the final whistle.