http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home ... -1.1077074Rangers and Celtic will put their age-old rivalry to one side this weekend and join together to remember those who lost their lives in the Ibrox disaster 40 years ago.
Sixty-six people died, many suffocated or crushed, when steel barriers on Stairway 13 gave way as Rangers supporters filed out of the stadium following the conclusion of an Old Firm match on January 2, 1971.
The two teams will meet again in a league match at Ibrox on Sunday – exactly 40 years on from that fateful day – with a number of tributes planned to mark the anniversary.
The Rangers and Celtic players will be led out of the tunnel by John Greig and Billy McNeill, the two captains from that era, before a one-minute silence is observed. Both teams will also wear black armbands during the match as a mark of respect.
A can collection will take place at the stadium before the match in aid of St Andrews First Aid (formerly St Andrews Ambulance) whose staff played a significant role in assisting those injured in the tragedy and who continue to provide first-aid assistance at matches today.
Earlier in the day, Greig, Sandy Jardine, another former Rangers player, and Martin Bain, the club’s chief executive, will lay an official wreath at the site of the stadium memorial, a tradition that takes place every year.
The following day, January 3, at 11am, a special memorial service will be held at Ibrox. Family and friends of those who lost their lives, as well as representatives of Rangers and Celtic, the emergency services, dignitaries and politicians are all expected to attend.
Mr Bain, whose father, Ronnie, had been on Stairway 13 on the day of the tragedy, revealed he felt “humbled” to be involved in such a poignant occasion.
He said: “To be asked as a director to make a speech on the third in front of that audience will be difficult but it’s also a great honour. I think it’s important that future generations are reminded what happened that day as it’s a big part of Rangers’ history, and Scottish football’s history, too.
“Too often kids can home in on some elements that we don’t want associated with the football club but this is very much a mark of respect and shows the club in the correct light.
“We will remember those people [who died] and do so appropriately. Everyone at Celtic has been totally supportive of what we’re doing and are all on board, as you would expect. It’s both clubs who are paying their respects on the second and the third.”
Bain was confident the pre-match silence would be impeccably observed by everyone inside the stadium on Sunday.
This would be a very positive signal. Let us hope the usual bigots don't f**k this up.