“Celtic are Champions for a reason,” Barry Ferguson

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The Celtic Star

·3 May 2025

“Celtic are Champions for a reason,” Barry Ferguson

Traditionalist Brendan Rodgers expressed his desire for theRangers to honour Celtic’s title win with a guard of honour, acknowledging that it might be a difficult gesture for them due to their frequent runners-up finishes…

The Rodgers Roar . Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Celtic, sitting comfortably with a 17-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership, travel to their rivals’ ground on Sunday, but theRangers manager Barry Ferguson has unsurprisingly made it clear his side won’t offer a guard of honour.

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“It’s always difficult for the team that comes up short,” Brendan Rodgers

Celtic title celebrations. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star).

Speaking in his pre-match media conference, Rodgers said: “The Guard of Honour thing, it’s not a rule, that’s the first thing I would say. It’s not in the rules that you have to do it. And I think that when two clubs in the rivalry are so emotional, it’s always difficult for the team that comes up short.

“I’m a little bit of a traditionalist, because there’s a lot of things that are going out of our game”

“So, it’s one that I’m relaxed either way on it. It’s one where I’m a little bit of a traditionalist, because there’s a lot of things that are going out of our game over in these isles that are just moving away from the traditions of the great managers and the great people that ran our game and were successful in our game.”

Alloa Athletic line up as a guard of honour to welcome the Scottish Championship Champions, theRangers onto the pitch before the match between theRangers and Alloa Athletic at Ibrox Stadium April 23, 2016. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

“Showing that humility to the other team, whatever the rivalry is, it’s a mark of respect,” Brendan Rodgers

Rodgers added: “And I always think if you’re a champion to show, or not a champion, showing that humility to the other team, whatever the rivalry is, it’s a mark of respect. But like I said, Celtic theRangers, it’s an emotional rivalry. And if you come up short quite a lot, then it can be a challenge for you and to justify that with your supporters. But as I said, I’m a traditionalist.”

“These are the things that have been in our game for many, many years. And like I said, there’s no rule to it, but I’m relaxed either way on it really.”

Barry Ferguson, theRangers vs Fenerbahçe, Ibrox, Europea League, 13 March 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Ibrox boss Barry Ferguson, who may have Leon Balogun return in protective gear after his cheekbone injury against Athletic Club from Bilbao, has firmly dismissed the idea of giving Brendan Rodgers’ title-winning Celtic side a guard of honour.

Adam Idah. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“I don’t know why there’s always a big clamour about a guard of honour”

“I don’t know why there’s always a big clamour about a guard of honour, it’s never happened in the past, whether it’s Celtic, whether it’s theRangers,” he said. “I think it’ll always just remain that way,” Ferguson said.

“Celtic are Champions for a reason, because they’ve been the most consistent throughout the season. But in terms of a guard of honour I don’t see it. It’s never happened in the past. So why should it happen going forward?”

Celtic players celebrate winning the league. Dundee United 0 Celtic 5 at Tannadice Park on April 26, 2025 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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