Man jailed for throwing bottle at Celtic physio during Old Firm game

The Rangers fan was also handed a five-year football banning order.

The incident happened during an Old Firm game at Ibrox last year (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Archive)

A Rangers fan has been jailed for a year after throwing a bottle at a Celtic physiotherapist during an Old Firm game, leaving him scarred for life.

Alan Crawford, 33, was also handed a five-year football banning order for the act of “mindless violence”, when he was sentenced at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Celtic physio Daniel Friel needed four stitches and was left with a scar after he was hit on the head by a bottle in the incident at Ibrox on April 3 last year.

When he appeared at the court earlier this month, Crawford, from Grangemouth, admitted throwing a bottle towards Mr Friel which struck his head “to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement”.

The throwing of the bottle was an act of mindless violence. This had consequences for the person you injured and these consequences will stay with him for the rest of his life

Sheriff Tony Kelly

Sentencing Crawford on Wednesday, Sheriff Tony Kelly described it as an act of “reprehensible conduct”.

He said: “You assaulted the complainer by throwing a bottle which struck him on the head.

“The assault happened during a football match between Rangers and Celtic.

“The complainer was employed as Celtic Football Club’s physiotherapist. He was seated in the away team dugout. When he made his way from the stand he felt a thud on the left hand side of his head and saw a small bottle.

“He was bleeding and was treated by the club doctor.

“This was an attack on a person in the course of his employment. The throwing of the bottle was an act of mindless violence.

“This had consequences for the person you injured and these consequences will stay with him for the rest of his life.”

Celtic won the game 2-1.

Defence agent Harvie Diamond said Crawford, a father, feels remorse for his actions and he had urged the sheriff to consider alternatives to custody.

He said: “He feels extremely bad about having done what he did.

“In three seconds of his life he picked up a bottle, threw it and unfortunately hit the physiotherapist.

“I think he has learned his lesson.”