It is a well-worn anecdote in Scottish football journalistic circles, the one of a wise old sage of the trade warning a club chairman some years ago that if he gave his club’s fledgling ultras group enough rope, they would ultimately hang him with it.
After an independent report was published yesterday by the Scottish FA into the scenes of fan disorder at last season’s Old Firm Scottish Cup quarter final at Ibrox though, it appears it is not only the clubs, but the football authorities themselves and even the police who have given ultras the leeway - an inch here and an inch there - from which some among their number have ultimately taken a mile. And more.
