Former Celtic and Rangers players put on a show at Broadwood

A Rangers team featuring Andy Goram, Charlie Miller, Dougie Bell and Jose Quitongo took on a Celtic team starring Frank McGarvey, Chic Charnley and Robbie McDonald and coached by Jimmy Bone.

Some 300 mascots recruited from youth football clubs joined around 1500 people at the stadium to watch the teams play a passionate and entertaining game of football which ended 2-2.

The event was organised by 34-year-old Airdrie man Raymond Byrne, who said: “It was a very successful event which was about bringing children from both sides of the Old Firm together and teaching them the correct message - that we can all have fun together. Seeing the children who support Rangers and the children who support Celtic all shaking each other’s hands is a very important reason behind these events, we want to stop bigotry before it starts.”

The charity match was also in support of Yorkhill Hospital and Alzheimers Scotland. The exact amount raised was not known at time of press.
Raymond was also very appreciative of the support given by the staff of Broadwood Stadium.

“We’ve been doing this for a few years now and this was our second time at Broadwood. It was a fantastic setting and the service we got from the stadium staff was top notch. We’re definitely planning to hold another of these events next year and that will also be at Broadwood Stadium,” he said.

Raymond added: “The match itself was a very entertaining game. Exactly as you’d expect from an Old Firm match, all the players put in a great deal of passion and energy which was great to see. While some might not have wanted it to end in a draw, for me the 2-2 result was perfect. It means everyone’s a winner.” FORMER Rangers and Celtic players united for a bigotry-busting charity game at Broadwood Stadium on Friday night.

Raymond added that he organised this event as he knows a number of famous names from both Parkhead and Ibrox.

“I was able to recruit all the players involved in this match because I know them - they’re friends of family members. I’m lucky to have so many contacts in football,” he said.