THE RUDE THE MAD & THE UGLY
Gers hothead Bilel lost plot after play-off rout
It was a move that would have disastrous consequences a few years later when Mohsni used those combat skills to bring shame on Rangers at Fir Park.
The defender’s Ibrox career ended in disgrace after the 2015 play-off defeat by Motherwell when he punched and kicked Lee Erwin before brawling with three other Steelmen.
Those violent scenes shocked the Sky Sports audience but anyone who had followed Mohsni’s career wouldn’t have been too surprised.
Sturrock had brought the French-born Tunisian to Britain when the Dundee United legend was in charge at Southend.
Luggy memorably branded Mohsni “a walking foul” and recalled a stormy League Cup defeat to Leyton Orient when things got a bit too hairy.
In his autobiography,
Sturrock wrote: “Bilel had a wee altercation with an Orient player.
“He grabbed a pair of scissors and tried to get into the away changing room – it took four players to hold him down.”
Sturrock thought cage-fighting lessons might help keep the big man’s rage under lock and key on a football field.
But the on-field violence only went up a notch when Mohsni moved to Ibrox. The stopper chipped in with 11 goals as Gers eased to the League One title but he collected as many cards, including a red against Brechin.
He was just warming up though as a sending-off against Derby in a friendly – for sticking the nut on Chris Martin – set the tone for a chaotic sophomore year.
It was supposed to be the season when Gers completed The Journey by strolling back to the top flight – but the relegation of Hearts and Hibs made their path far more treacherous.
The Hibees romped to a 3-1 win at Ibrox while the Jambos were marching towards the Championship title – and Mohsni lost the plot once more.
He argued with Gers fans at half-time, then copped a twogame SFA ban for another headbutt on Jordon Forster and an alleged punch at Liam Fontaine.
Rangers beat Hibs in the playoff but their Incredible Hulk’s anger boiled over when they faced the men of steel in the final.
Already 3-0 down from the first leg, the Ibrox side saw their hopes evaporate when Cammy Bell’s attempted punch at Marvin Johnson’s shot failed to connect.
Mohsni didn’t miss his target when fists started flying at the end of the 6-1 aggregate hiding.
Erwin was the initial aggressor, pushing Mohsni in the back when the stopper refused to shake his hand after claiming the Well striker had insulted his family.
His cage rattled, the Ibrox star showed Erwin the moves he learned in Southend then clashed with Lionel Ainsworth, Fraser
Kerr and Craig Moore before being dragged away.
He even tried to get off the team bus to have another go at Erwin and the upshot was a seven-game SFA ban that hung over Mohsni when he moved to the appropriately named Angers back in France.
Mohsni tried to paint himself as a victim. He claimed the incident robbed him of move to England’s top flight and he eventually landed back in Scotland’s second tier with Dundee United in 2018.
Boss Csaba Laszlo wanted to add “aggression” but after just 90 minutes claimed he “wanted to kill” Mohsni after he conceded a sloppy goal against Dunfermline.
United’s promotion bid died in the play-offs and Mohsni bid Scottish football a final farewell without even a yellow card.