Weir - Don't keep fans out of Old Firm

10 March 2011 09:00
Rangers captain David Weir believes Old Firm matches played behind closed doors would be the end of Scottish football. The Scotland international defender has been surprised by the reaction to last week's fiery Scottish Cup replay clash at Parkhead. Rangers had three players dismissed while coaches Neil Lennon and Ally McCoist clashed on the touchline in a game Celtic won 1-0. Scottish Police Federation chairman Les Gray had called for the fixture to be banned or played behind closed doors before last week's volatile match, while Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has since hosted a meeting where the fall-out of the match was discussed. However, Weir said: "It will never happen (the game getting played behind closed doors). It is the pride fixture of Scottish football. "It has kept Scottish football going for years and you would be as well closing the door. You would be as well just closing the league down if that was the case."

Source: PA