BIGOTSSPARK CLARKEFURY
FROM BACK PAGE as they lost the fifth-round replay 5-0 on a night Alfredo Morelos shone with four goals.
The game was overshadowed by the aftermatch comments from Clarke, who called out Rangers fans after they taunted him with the sectarian chant near the end of the game.
The 55-year-old, who left St Mirren for Chelsea as a player in the 1980s, said: “It’s lovely, nice being back in the west of Scotland – really nice.
“When I was approached by Rangers about taking over the job here I was assured, ‘Nah, we don’t have that in the west of Scotland any more and it has gone.’ Hahahaha.
“They can call me a b ***** d or a w **** r. No problem, thanks guys.
“But to call me a Fenian b ***** d? Come on.
“What are we living in, the dark ages? They’re not allowed to call my assistant (Alex Dyer) a black ‘b’ but they can call me a Fenian b ***** d? Is that correct? What are we doing in Scotland?
“I wake up every morning and thank Chelsea for coming and taking me away from the west of Scotland because my children don’t understand this.
“My children and my grandchildren have nothing to do with this, thankfully. They don’t understand this, they don’t need to worry about this.
“It’s fantastic to be back in Scotland, eh?”
His comments come just days after Killie striker Kris Boyd also hit out at Celtic fans after being targeted for sectarian abuse as he warmed up at Rugby Park ahead of the Ayrshire side’s 1-0 defeat.
Clarke was also bitterly upset at the decision by Muir to dismiss an appeal for a penalty after Joe Worrall manhandled Eamonn Brophy just two minutes into the game – with Morelos scoring his first five minutes later.
And he could not contain his anger at the whistler’s call, on the advice of assistant Drew Kirkland, to dismiss keeper Daniel Bachmann midway through the first half for elbowing Ibrox January signing Glen Kamara.
Clarke added: “If the penalty had been given in the first two minutes it would have been different.
“It doesn’t matter when it comes, a penalty is a penalty – 30 seconds in or 30 seconds into injury time, it’s a pen so just give it.
“The red card was a joke, a joke. If that’s the standards we might as well go home. Why speak? It’s every week, every other week. Why?
“You’ll probably write, ‘Morelos, four goals’ but the officials decided the game. It’s embarrassing.
“As for the red card, the goalie just lifted his arms. Every goalie does it every week. It’s embarrassing. I’m talking in general. Bad decisions. All we talk about is our refs. Foreign refs? I’m not interested in talking about that. How can I talk about football tonight?”
A Rangers spokesman said: “Rangers Football Club wishes to make it clear unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated at Ibrox.
“Everything possible will continue to be done to eradicate this kind of behaviour.”