Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke has told talkSPORT he is happy to take the heat for speaking out against sectarian abuse if it helps erase it from the Scottish game.Clarkes passionate and public condemnation of Rangers fans has been one of the weeks biggest talking points, after he was the target of abuse from the Ibrox crowd.Chants of sad Fenian b*****d were heard around the ground during Wednesday’s Scottish Cup replay, which ended in a 5-0 win for the Gers.
2talkSPORT hosts react to Steve Clarke abuse
- Alan Brazil slams Rangers fans who hurled sectarian abuse at Killie boss
- Jim White urges Rangers and Celtic urged to help rid Scottish football of sectarian scum
But, joining talkSPORT for an exclusive interview on Friday, Clarke insists people can no longer turn a blind eye to the issue and that it should be stamped out of society for good.The reaction for me has been overwhelmingly positive, the Kilmarnock boss told Jim White.Ive had a lot of good messages and support from people from within the game, friends, people I dont even know, Rangers supporters all across the board the support had been overwhelming and Im delighted with that.The chant I heard, theres no place for it in society in my opinion. Straight away Rangers as a club came out and denounced it, the SFA have come out, a lot of people are talking about it.
Strong statement from @RangersFC chairman Dave King. pic.twitter.com/tJ2CvSt19N— Jim White (@JimWhite) February 22, 2019Im sure its going to cause me a few problems over the coming days, weeks and months, but one of the reasons I spoke out against it is that I think, in this day and age, its something we shouldnt just accept and turn a blind eye to.Clarke also had a message for those who accused him of double standards and hypocrisy, having spoken out against the abuse he suffered but not the abuse Killie player Kris Boyd suffered just a few days earlier against Celtic.Former Rangers striker Boyd was struck by a coin and reportedly branded a fat orange b****d at Rugby Park by some travelling Bhoys fans.
2MORE: Rangers boss Steven Gerrard asks why Clarke did not highlight Boyd abuse
But Clarke explained: When I went up to do the press after the Celtic game, obviously a lot of the talk for me was the last minute goal and the crowd celebrations, but I was never ever told by anybody at that time that Kris had been struck by a coin and abused in a sectarian manner.After that, when I did my pre-match conference before the Rangers games, I addressed the issue. I spoke about the silent majority having to be the ones who speak against the mindless minority of people who are causing these issues at game.So I dont think its fair to level that one at me, its not a fair accusation.Its also symptomatic that if you speak out against one club you have to automatically speak out against the other club. Kris Boyd was abused by Celtic supporters and that is completely wrong, I was abused by Rangers supporters and that was completely wrong, but its also symptomatic of the issues we still have here, unfortunately, in this day and age on the west coast of Scotland.The issue was, for me, that if I didnt speak out about it, then the 200 fans who were signing against me on Wednesday night at Ibrox, maybe next time it becomes 2,000, and then it goes to 10,000, then 20,000 and suddenly youre back to the bad old days when the whole stadium was signing it, and that wouldnt be correct.
Listen back to talkSPORT exclusive interview with Steve Clarke IN FULL above
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