Rangers Fans Unite in Refusal to Give Celtic a Guard of Honour, Citing Unconventional Reasons
In the passionate world of Scottish football, few rivalries burn as fiercely as that between Rangers and Celtic. The Old Firm derby is more than a game; it’s a cultural institution, steeped in history, pride, and unrelenting tribalism. As Celtic edge closer to clinching the Scottish Premiership title in the 2024-25 season, a familiar debate has resurfaced: should Rangers, their bitter rivals, form a guard of honour to applaud the champions onto the pitch at Ibrox? Rangers fans have united in a resounding refusal, but this time, their reasons go beyond the usual animosity, venturing into unconventional territory that reflects both their identity and their defiance.
The guard of honour, a gesture where players line up to clap their opponents onto the field in recognition of a league title, is a custom in football that symbolizes sportsmanship. In the context of the Old Firm, however, it’s a lightning rod for controversy. Historically, both clubs have grappled with the decision. In 2019, Rangers refused to give Celtic a guard of honour at Ibrox after the Hoops secured their eighth consecutive title, a move that sparked outrage among some Celtic fans and pundits. Two years later, Celtic reciprocated, declining to honour Rangers’ 2021 championship win, citing the lack of “respect” shown in 2019 as justification.
Fast forward to 2025, and the script remains unchanged. With Celtic poised to potentially secure the title before their May 4 clash at Ibrox, Rangers fans have taken to social media and fan forums to voice their opposition to any gesture of goodwill. While the refusal is not surprising given the rivalry’s intensity, the reasons cited by the Ibrox faithful are as unconventional as they are
One of the most prominent arguments among Rangers supporters is that a guard of honour would be weaponized by Celtic as a tool for humiliation rather than a moment of mutual respect. Fans point to the broader narrative of one-upmanship that defines the rivalry. A 2019 article on Rangers News captured this sentiment, describing the guard of honour debate as “pot-stirring nonsense” designed to reinforce Celtic’s dominance with a “this is our city” message.
On X, fans have echoed this view, with one supporter,
@rsjh0501
, arguing in 2019 that Celtic’s refusal to even say “Rangers” in public statements—referring to them as “them”—disqualifies them from expecting respect. In 2025, this perception persists, with fans claiming that Celtic players and supporters would revel in the optics of Rangers clapping them onto the pitch, turning a sporting gesture into a psychological victory. “It’s not about respect; it’s about them rubbing our noses in it,” one fan posted on a Rangers forum. “We’d be handing them a meme for the next
Rangers fans argue that a guard of honour in the Old Firm context is inherently disingenuous, rendering it meaningless. The Scotsman’s Joel Sked described the tradition as “false and cringeworthy” in 2019, a sentiment that resonates with fans who see it as a hollow ritual incompatible with the rivalry’s raw intensity. Unlike in other leagues, where guards of honour are often performed with grudging respect (e.g., Manchester United for Chelsea in 2005), the Old Firm’s history of mutual disdain makes such a gesture feel performative.
Fans point to past incidents where players from both sides have shown contempt during matches—gestures like Celtic players desecrating the Rangers badge or Rangers’ provocative celebrations at Parkhead—as evidence that any applause would lack sincerity. “Why clap when we’d rather be tackling them into the stands?” one fan quipped on X. For Rangers supporters, the guard of honour is not a bridge to sportsmanship but a betrayal of the rivalry’s unapologetic authenticity.
Perhaps the most intriguing reason is the fans’ desire to redirect the energy of a guard of honour into on-pitch defiance. Rangers supporters argue that their team’s focus should be on delivering a performance that overshadows Celtic’s title celebrations, not facilitating them. A 2023 post from manager Michael Beale, quoted on X, emphasized this stance: “I don’t think they would want us to. I think in a stadium with our fans it wouldn’t be the right thing to do either.”
Fans have taken this further, suggesting that refusing the guard of honour is a psychological statement—a refusal to concede any ground, even symbolically. “Let’s not clap them on; let’s boot them off the park,” one supporter wrote on a fan blog. This aligns with a 2019 Rangers News piece that argued the only thing Rangers owe Celtic is “an absolute hiding on the pitch.” For fans, the refusal is less about pettiness and more about rallying the team to disrupt Celtic’s coronation with a result that echoes through the stands.
A recurring theme among Rangers fans is that the guard of honour debate is a Celtic-driven narrative, amplified by their supporters and sympathetic media to paint Rangers as unsporting. Fans cite instances like Chris Sutton’s 2019 comments, which they viewed as trolling, and Neil Lennon’s claim that Celtic would have given Rangers a guard of honour in 2019, which Rangers fans dismissed as posturing.
On X, a 2025 post from
@jbhoymolloy
encapsulated this view: “Nearly every year that Celtic win the title… this guard of honour nonsense comes up. I don’t want the rangers players clapping the Celtic team on to the field. I want them at their bitterest and most staunch as we celebrate around them.” Fans argue that by refusing to engage, Rangers are rejecting a narrative that seeks to shame them into submission, choosing instead to define their identity on their own terms.
Celtic fans and players, for their part, appear largely indifferent to the prospect of a guard of honour. In April 2025, Celtic’s Alistair Johnston shrugged off the debate, stating, “We’re not too bothered if someone gives us a guard of honour or not… We just want to be lifting a trophy.” This echoes John Kennedy’s 2021 comments, where he downplayed the gesture’s importance while citing Rangers’ 2019 refusal as a reason for Celtic’s own stance.
Some Celtic supporters, however, see Rangers’ refusal as a lack of class, pointing to examples like Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United honouring Chelsea in 2005 as a model of sportsmanship. Yet, even among Celtic fans, there’s an acknowledgment that the gesture is less about respect and more about bragging rights, as highlighted by a 2021 Rangers News article mocking the idea of Celtic gaining “bragging rights” from a guard of honour.
The refusal of Rangers fans to endorse a guard of honour for Celtic is not merely a reaction to a single match but a reflection of a rivalry that thrives on defiance, pride, and unconventional reasoning. By framing the gesture as a trap for humiliation, a hollow ritual, a misallocation of energy, and a Celtic-driven obsession, Rangers supporters have crafted a narrative that transcends traditional sportsmanship debates. Their stance is a testament to the Old Firm’s unique place in football—a rivalry where every gesture, or lack thereof, is a battleground for identity and supremacy.
As the May 4, 2025, derby approaches, one thing is certain: the Ibrox stands will roar with passion, not applause, as Rangers aim to honour their fans not with a guard but with a fight. In the words of a Rangers supporter on X, “Let Celtic have their title. We’ll give them a match they won’t forget.”
