An Edinburgh grandfather who travelled to Ukraine to fight against Russian invaders is a former member of the notorious Hibs hooligan firm, it has been reported.
Rab Grady was slapped with a year-long football banning order following a brawl before Raith Rovers victory over Rangers in the Ramsdens Cup final at Easter Road in 2014.
The 61-year-old was described as a “frontline” member of the feared Capital City Service (CCS) which terrorised British football in the 1980s.
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The Daily Record now claims other casuals - including those with military experience - are said to be on the verge of heading to Ukraine themselves.
In a video posted online yesterday, Grady, from Niddrie, launches an appeal for volunteers to take up arms and join him in defending Ukraine from the Kremlin-backed military campaign.
Speaking to the camera, Mr Grady says: "I've travelled to Ukraine to help Ukraine fight the Russians. I'll do anything I can in my power to save Ukraine from Putin.
"Anybody in the world, please Ukraine. They need everybody to help. Volunteers, please."
He later posted messages on Facebook to pals online stating he "plans to kill as many Russians as [he] can".
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky previously appealed to foreigners to join an “international legion” to defend his country.
Potential volunteers from Edinburgh are drawing parallels with the International Brigades of the 1930s which saw hundreds of Scots take up arms against fascism in the Spanish Civil War.
On his Facebook page on Monday, Rab wrote: “Just to keep you all updated Ukrainian army are shelling Russian position at the moment. The ORKS won’t like it.”
He told how he did “some time in the TA paras in the 70s and 80s but have the heart”.
While in Ukraine on Saturday, Rab asked friends on social media: “What’s the Hibs score?”
A pal wrote back, “Get on with killing Russians ffs” while another said, “Not kicked off yet mate”.
A 'source' told the Record: “Rab was CCS for many years. He was one of the first Hibs boys ever. This is going back 40 years.
"This was a time when the casual scene was big and the Hibs boys were involved in large-scale street fighting.
“He’s been watching what was happening in the Ukraine and now he’s travelled out there to fight the Russians.
“He’s not particularly political but he’s found this cause.
“Rab was a ‘frontline’ Hibs casual and really steeped in that world. He’s 61 but a physically capable man. He’s a man who knows how to use his fists, but it will be a different world in Ukraine.
“A lot of people are saying how brave he is for going. I imagine he’s been asked to appear in this video to try and boost recruitment. They need everyone they can get over there.
“There’s a couple of Hearts boys who are also looking into going. There’s casuals in Edinburgh who think it’s a romantic quest, like joining the old International Brigades in Spain or fighting Hitler.”
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President Zelensky previously appealed for foreign volunteers to make their way to Ukraine where they would be given arms to help battle the Russian troops.
It is estimated around 100 Scots have volunteered to join Ukrainian forces in the conflict.
UK foreign secretary Liz truss revealed she would support British nationals who wished to travel and help the military efforts in Ukraine.
But several of her UK cabinet colleagues have contradicted her and effectively warned against people travelling to Ukraine to take up arms.
It’s understood volunteers from around the world have travelled to the Polish border with Ukraine in a bid to sign up. The Ukrainians have sent “recruiters” to those areas to help organise their passage into the war-torn region.
