Club 1872 Statement on Kilmarnock FC Safety Issues

Club 1872 has received multiple eye witness reports from supporters trapped outside Rugby Park prior to, and following, kickoff in yesterday’s Kilmarnock vs Rangers game. These reports describe crushing, supporters fainting and actions from both stewards and police that made the situation worse.

We note the comments of Kilmarnock director, Phyllis McLeish who has claimed that the unsafe situation outside the ground was the result of searches and fans’ impatience. Ms McLeish’s comments are simply not true and appear to be a deliberate attempt to shift the blame for the breakdown of Kilmarnock’s new ticketing system. We have reports of fans waiting up to 45 mins to enter the ground. The delays were a direct result of this new ticketing system, which failed and put Rangers supporters in danger.

We are aware of a video which appears to show Rangers supporters opening an access gate in response to pleas from supporters further back in the crowd. This has been characterised negatively by various media outlets including the Daily Record and BBC Scotland journalists. Having watched and listened to the video in question, there is genuine concern from distressed supporters that there is a dangerous situation building up in the crowd and that this gate should be opened to relieve pressure. This concern matches the eye witness accounts, from those further back in the crowd, which we have described above. The situation would never have arisen if the ticketing entry system at Rugby Park had been working properly.

As usual, there has been a rush from certain elements of the press to blame Rangers supporters for this incident. We would remind them, Ms McLeish and others that it is the responsibility of Kilmarnock FC and their directors to ensure that visiting supporters are safe. It is quite clear that the ticketing entry arrangements were not fit for purpose and that this created an unnecessary situation at the turnstiles which placed Rangers supporters in danger.

We will be submitting the reports we have received to Rangers and urging them to ensure that Kilmarnock FC and their directors make proper arrangements in future and that they are held to account for the shambolic and unsafe situation prior to kickoff. It was Kilmarnock FC’s responsibility to make suitable safety and ticketing arrangements – it is absolutely clear they did not.

We will liaise with Rangers on this and on events inside the ground and work with them to ensure that Kilmarnock properly address these safety issues ahead of any future visits to Rugby Park.

Issued by Supporters Voice Limited, a Club 1872 company