The Ibrox hero claimed last week that Celts were “running Scottish football” after the SPFL announced the post-split fixtures
Rangers legend Ally McCoist
Ally McCoist has backtracked on his SPFL post-split fixture conspiracy rant – as he laughed off jibes from Celtic fan media.
The Rangers legend stirred the pot last week when he claimed the Hoops were “running Scottish football” after the final five fixtures were revealed. Third-placed Celts have been handed a potential final-day decider at home to table-topping Hearts, while Gers face a third away trip to Falkirk.
That triggered McCoist, with the former Ibrox striker also unhappy at Martin O’Neill’s side landing a hat-trick of Parkhead fixtures – despite all three title contenders finishing with 19 home and 19 away matches. Wind-up merchant McCoist, though, insists he was trying to get under the skin of Celtic-daft sidekick Alan Brazil.
The Ibrox hero was grinning like a Cheshire Cat as talkSPORT read out some of the Celtic fan media reaction to his remarks, with one headline in particular catching his eye – accusing McCoist of being “deranged”.
McCoist joked: “Shock horror. Ally McCoist getting stick from Celtic fans. Well, knock me sideways! As far as I can remember, it’s happened for the best part of 40 years, me getting stick.”
He added: “I mean, there was a part of me winding up Brazil. He was doing the same to me. But listen, it’s not ideal. It never will be ideal. But as I said before, the one thing that it is, it is exciting.”
The pundit did appear to soften his stance from last week’s hard-hitting verdict as he explained to a puzzled Jeff Stelling how Rangers face away trips to Hearts and Celtic – something that was guaranteed given they’ve already hosted both sides twice at Ibrox this season.
He said: “It’s not perfect. It’s never going to be perfect.
“You can make cases. Hearts fans having to travel to Celtic for the final game of the season. And I did mention to you, this probably has less to do with the split… but Rangers go to Falkirk again for the final game of the season and Falkirk could potentially be in the Scottish Cup Final.
“So they could be well within their rights to play a weakened side. But I don’t think that’s got as much to do with the actual split, because that’s Falkirk getting to the cup final. It is what it is. Celtic have four of the last six at home, Rangers have four of the last six away.”
Asked how SPFL chiefs compile the fixtures, he quipped: “I don’t know, I think four guys sit around the table! Do you know who will have a part in it? The police.
“I’d imagine the police wouldn’t fancy a Rangers vs Celtic end-of-season game where the title could be decided. Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think they’d want that on the agenda! So there could be a number of things.”