Times Talker: Should Rangers sack the players involved if party allegations are true?

The club issued a short statement on Twitter after it emerged that some players had been accused of breaching Scotland’s strict lockdown restrictions.

The club said: “Rangers are aware of an alleged incident which is subject to an internal investigation. We will make no further comment.”

Rangers are aware of an alleged incident which is subject to an internal investigation. We will make no further comment. pic.twitter.com/XVRhHWzWpJ

— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) February 14, 2021

It is not clear how many Rangers players were at the party or whether any were among those issued with fines.

Here two of our Herald and Times Sport writers have had their say on whether Rangers should release the alleged party goers. 

Aidan Smith reckons the Govan club have a big call to make

IF the allegations are true, stupidity is putting it politely. Do these guys not understand what is on the line for their club this season? 

Rangers and their fans have suffered greatly over the past ten years with Celtic’s dominance and they are now on the cusp of ending that horror run in style.  

What a season it has been from Steven Gerrard’s men, but an alleged incident like this has the capabilities of taking the shine off such a stunning campaign.  

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already warned Scottish football that “all bets are off” if protocols are not followed in the strictest way possible and that makes this alleged incident all the more worrying.  

This wouldn't be the first time that members of the Rangers squad have been involved in a Covid breach this season either. We only have to glance back to November to be reminded of Jordan Jones and George Edmundson’s idiocy when they attended a party in the West End of Glasgow.  

Those two players were fined, issued with match bans and now ultimately face a huge fight to retain their titles as Rangers employees come the summer. Did this not cross the minds of those allegedly involved this time round? 

“Football is in a privileged position and we recognise the responsibility that we all must uphold within the national sport,” Rangers said in a statement following an SFA investigation into Jones and Edmundson. 

No responsibilities have been recognised here if the rumours are true, so Rangers need to think long and hard about the future of those allegedly involved. 

The word is that those who allegedly attended the gathering are on the fringes of the first team, so their team ethic must come into question. Does the league title not matter to them as they aren’t heavily involved at the minute?  

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard

Rangers as a club must hand out a serious punishment here to show just how much this season means. If that involves axing the players from the club altogether, then so be it. 

With the title within touching distance, the Ibrox board must do all they can to ensure the current campaign continues as normal. They face an anxious wait for the response of Nicola Sturgeon and the SFA once investigations are complete. 

James Cairney believes the players won't be kicked out the club

It goes without saying that what the players allegedly did was stupid and clearly, they should face some sort of punishment if it transpires that they broke the Government’s guidelines. 

If they are found to have broken the law then they will have to pay a fine and you’d imagine that Rangers themselves will also discipline those involved, should their guilt be determined. 

But kick them out the club? Give me a break. 

It’s perfectly understandable why fans of the Ibrox club will be furious after hearing about the alleged incident. With that all-important 55th league crown within touching distance and emotions running high, anything that puts Rangers’ title tilt in jeopardy would inevitably result in an angry backlash from the supporters. 

But calling for the players to be unceremoniously booted out the back door at Ibrox is an overreaction. 

Those rumoured to have attended the party are all fringe players in Glasgow’s south side and only one has had any significant game-time for the first team this season. For those that are calling for the players’ heads, let me ask you something – what if it wasn’t those players? What if it was players that Rangers couldn’t afford to lose? 

I might be wrong but I’m willing to bet that if Allan McGregor, James Tavernier, Steven Davis and Connor Goldson were caught breaching Covid guidelines, there wouldn’t be a demand to shift them out of Ibrox as soon as possible.  

Or what if every goalie at Rangers was at a party? Would you get rid of them all and play the rest of the season without a recognised keeper? 

I suspect the answer is no. And that’s perfectly understandable – no one wants to see their team significantly weakened, especially at this stage of the season.  

It’s easy to take the moral high ground in scenarios like this, self-righteously demanding swift and immediate justice. But that’s only because if push came to shove and the players involved were handed their p45s, it would have no bearing on this year’s title race. It’s a convenient solution. 

There will be those Rangers fans who will say it shouldn’t matter – whether you’re a youth player trying to break into the team or one of the first names on Steven Gerrard’s team-sheet, the punishment will be the same. 

To those people, I tip my cap. That takes integrity, and I admire that. 

But for the rest – and I’d hedge my bets and say it’s the majority of the fanbase – can you honestly say that you’d be advocating for the contracts of key players to be ripped up? 

The same standard needs to be applied to all players, regardless of their seniority. You can’t pick on the young players if you wouldn’t act precisely the same way if senior members of the squad were involved. 

This time it’s convenient. But what about next time?