Sorry no GOH for you, Celtic tell league winners Rangers.
Nigerian duo Joe Aribo, Leon Balogun and their Rangers teammates have been told not to expect the traditional guard of honour for winning the Scottish league on Sunday.
Celtic were supposed to give rivals a guard of honour in this Sunday’s Old firm but they made it clear that will not happen on Friday, recalling that Rangers did not do the same when it was their turn.
Rangers were crowned Scottish champions for the first time since 2011 a couple of weeks back after Celtic failed to beat Dundee United away from home.
It ended Celtic’s domestic dominance of nine straight league titles and there has been a lot of talk as to whether the Hoops would clap the champions upon their entry to the Parkhead pitch.
And it’s now been confirmed by Celtic interim manager John Kennedy that there will be no guard of honour.
Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, a two-time SPFL champion in Glasgow, encouraged the club to show “humility” and “class – highlighting Sir Alex Ferguson instructing his Manchester United players to carry out the tradition when Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea came to Old Trafford many years ago.
Former Celtic defender Gary Caldwell was also in favour of his former team and felt they should “show Rangers the respect”.
However, in 2019, when Celtic had wrapped up the league prior to a trip to Ibrox, Rangers did not partake in a guard of honour.
Neil Lennon, manager at the time, was not happy with the decision and said his team would have applauded if the roles had been reversed.
“It’s a break from tradition,” Lennon said two years ago after Rangers snubbed the guard of honour.
“I think we would have done it if the shoe had been on the other foot. But it’s not a major issue
“It would have been a touch of class if they did it. I’m disappointed they are not. Celtic would have done it.”
In the Premier League last year, Manchester City gave champions Liverpool a guard of honour at the Etihad Stadium after Jurgen Klopp’s team won the title days earlier.
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