Wake-up call to every footballer in the country
ROBBIE CRAWFORD insists the Ian Black situation has been a wake-up call not just for Rangers — but for all the country’s footballers.
Ibrox midfielder Black was issued with a notice of complaint by the SFA, alleging he had been involved in 160 cases of illegal betting on matches.
That prompted Light Blues boss Ally McCoist to retort that gambling on football was widespread within the game.
He started the player in Friday night’s 6-0 win away to Airdrie and called for the authorities to hold a summit on the issue.
“The situation was mentioned by the manager but he mainly just focused on the game,” said Crawford, one of the scorers at the Excelsior Stadium.
“Personally, I think this week has been a bit of a wake-up call for us all.
“If Ian is being investigated, everyone in his situation should be as well.
“It has definitely surprised a few players but we need to be careful.
“Being a footballer, you’re going to be high-profile but you need to watch out for all aspects of things like that.”
Although warnings are given, the Rangers player freely admits they aren’t always heeded.
“I’ve been in a few meetings at youth level with the PFA where we’ve been told all about the dangers of gambling,” he said.
“It’s not something that affects me — I don’t gamble — but some players weren’t aware that you couldn’t bet on any game so maybe it has to be made a bit clearer.
“I don’t know anyone personally who has a problem with gambling. Some of the players put on a coupon but nothing I would consider as being serious.”
Crawford’s reference to ‘high profile’ is relevant with plenty of Rangers fans questioning why, if the practice is so widespread, is Ian Black the only player to have been charged.
“It is all part of being at a big club like this one,” he said.
“You realise you’re under the microscope here, no matter what League we’re in. Everything you do at Rangers gets talked about so we need to be wary.
“It doesn’t faze me, I’ve always been aware that you get a lot of exposure here.”
As McCoist accepts, Tuesday’s Ramsdens Cup tie at home to Berwick Rangers offers the possibility of more exposure of the wrong kind. The manager pretty successfully argued his case against Charles Green’s claim the Light Blues should be winning one of the major Cups this year but the lower divisions KO competition is a different matter. “Our disappointments in the Cups are there for all to see — Forfar, Dundee United to name just two, Inverness Caledonian Thistle here as well,” McCoist said.
“The biggest disappointment of them all was probably Falkirk a couple of seasons back, because we had a right good team out that night.
“But I would possibly say that this time last year, at pre-season last year, I could have foreseen one or two disappointments in the cups. That doesn’t mean they are easy to take but we might have seen them coming for one or two reasons.
“It is a fair argument the Ramsdens offers us our best chance of success.
“If we can get through Tuesday’s game against Berwick, we would certainly be confident of taking on most teams in the tournament.”
‘ Players weren’t aware you couldn’t bet on any game’