RANGERS fan group Club 1872 has launched a scathing attack on SNP councillor Stephen Dornan after he refused to back fan zone plans.

The group also blasted council leader Susan Aitken and her deputy leader David McDonald for reportedly backing plans for a similar move at Hampden, despite rejecting ones for Ibrox.

Club 1872 accused Mr Dornan of “ignorance and malice” which, it said, “does not reflect well on him, personally, or in his role as councillor for Govan.”

As reported by the Evening Times last month, Rangers were told they would not be allowed to host a fan zone at the Ibrox Football Centre this month.

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The club had announced in June that it would allow 2,000 fans into the Glasgow Life-owned pitch before and after the team’s first home game against St Mirren on August 11.

And Gers chiefs had secured a licence to sell alcohol during the event.

But those plans had been thrown into disarray after community council bosses raised objections against the fan zone over fears it would stop children playing at the football centre.

Mr Dornan, Govan councillor, said at the time of the decision: “The number of people who would be admitted entry at the St Mirren game would be 2,500 - but I’ve been told by Rangers’ managing director, Stewart Robertson, they’d want more than 7,000 eventually.

“My concern is that these matches are controlled by the likes of Sky Sports. If you look at the football schedules, the pitch would never be available for kids football ever again.

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“Rangers should be investing in youth football in the area. They shouldn’t be trying to replace it with burgers and booze.

“I can’t sit back and watch a kids’ football pitch being taken away like that.”

Ms Aitken and Mr McDonald have also, this week, come under fire for scuppering the bid by Rangers to have a trial entertainment area installed near its Ibrox ground.

The move came despite backing the very same idea for Hampden, Scotland’s national stadium just a few miles away.

In a statement issued by Club 1872, the group said “very serious questions now exist” over the actions of the council leader and her deputy.

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The group said it recently submitted a Freedom of Information request to the council in an attempt to discover what role both councillors played “in ensuring the fan zone application had to be withdrawn prior to a scheduled licensing hearing even taking place.”

“We have also written to them personally to ask them why they intervened in this case and what track record they have of intervening in similar public entertainment licence applications,” Club 1872 added.

The group then went on to blast Mr Dornan, and said: “[His] attitude towards Rangers and our supporters shows a level of ignorance and malice which does not reflect well on him, either personally or in his role as councillor for Govan.

“However, our understanding is that his lobbying efforts had been unsuccessful until the late intervention of his colleagues.

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“Despite council officials and Glasgow Life - who have vast experience of holding major sporting events in the city - being fully supportive, these individuals appear to have used their positions to circumvent due process.”

“Having been in close contact with Rangers regarding the fan zone for a number of months, and having ourselves provided a submission as part of the licence application, we are pleased the club is refusing to accept the situation as it stands.

“We will continue to work closely with them to ensure that facilities for our supporters at Ibrox improve over the coming months and years, regardless of any attempts to hinder that progress,” Club 1872 added.

In response to Ms Aitken supporting a fan zone at Hampden, but not one at Ibrox, a Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “This is a community-run venue and the council made it absolutely clear to Rangers that it would need to work with the local community in order to earn its backing for a proposed fan zone.

“As things stand, that hasn’t happened and the community simply does not support using the venue.

“The club is well aware that the council has no objection in principal to the development of fan zones at any stadium. However, it must also understand it still needs to do more to convince its own neighbours.”

Mr Dornan has also been contacted for comment.