Rangers told to give Celtic guard of honour at Ibrox – ‘Of course they should’
Barry Ferguson’s side may have to fold to tradition as Rangers welcome Celtic to Ibrox ahead of another Old Firm derby.
The Hoops have already been crowned Scottish Premiership champions, currently sitting 17 points clear at the top of the table with four matches of the campaign remaining.
Ferguson, who will be vying to keep the Rangers manager job permanently, will also have a point to prove against the Light Blues’ biggest rivals, even if there is nothing left to play for.
However, the Gers might have more than they bargained for waiting for them in the upcoming Old Firm clash after Simon Jordan insisted that Brendan Rodgers‘ team should be given a guard of honour at Ibrox on Sunday, 4 May, with backing from ex-Liverpool and Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy.
Rangers set to welcome Celtic to Ibrox
Speaking live on talkSPORT (30 April, 12:22pm), ex-Crystal Palace chairman Jordan said: “The question you’re asking is ‘Should there be a guard of honour? Should people be able to give one another a guard of honour irrespective of the differences between the clubs, with different religious beliefs and ideologies? Of course they should.”
Murphy added: “I think the most positive thing is the optics are good for the younger generation, for the young players to see that. It’s a tradition in our country.
“Simon is right. The players don’t like it, but you could argue that some should be motivated by it.”
Barry Ferguson still fighting to prove himself ahead of 49ers takeover
Football Insider verdict
While it is unclear exactly what Ferguson’s future holds at Ibrox, back-to-back Old Firm victories could help persuade the proposed new owners to keep him at the helm ahead of a new era for the club, given the struggles his predecessors have had in the most crucial of fixtures.
A dramatic winner from Hamza Igamane helped the Gers to all three points at Celtic Park during the last meeting, having given up a two-goal lead from the opening 37 minutes.
Jose Mourinho has been linked with the Rangers job, and so too have Steven Gerrard, Derek McInnes, and Sean Dyche, but there are still a handful of matches remaining to help make a decision.
| Manager | Games | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
| Barry Ferguson | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 40 |
Real excitement about winning the Europa League title under Ferguson was growing until being knocked out by Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-finals, and only left with league matches to play.
With the Scottish Premiership title already in Celtic’s hands, focus needs to shift quickly towards the summer transfer window, and plans of a mass exodus need to emerge at Ibrox.
There is an incredible amount of deadweight within the squad, and once they are removed, the newly-raised funds, alongside 49ers Enterprises‘ investment, could help build a title-challenging team for next season and avoid the prospect of a guard of honour altogether.