Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has branded Rangers legend Ally McCoist's "hate bill" comments about the upcoming Old Firm derby "reckless and irresponsible".
Scotland's new Hate Crime and Public Order Act came into effect on Monday, creating a new offence of "threatening or abusive behaviour that is intended to stir up hatred" on the grounds of age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and transgender identity.
And McCoist caused controversy when he claimed he would break the law at Ibrox on Sunday, along with 48,000 other football fans. "We've got a hate bill, by the way. A hate bill has been passed in the country," he said on talkSPORT.
"And I can guarantee you, next Sunday at Ibrox, I, along with 48,000 will be committing a breach of that hate bill in the particular Rangers vs Celtic game we are all going to. It is madness.
"Everybody with two brain cells in their head knows it's madness, crazy. There is nobody in our country who thinks that is a good idea, who I have spoken to."
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McCoist has since revealed a "change of plans" means he will not be attending the game after all. "All I am prepared to say at this stage is that I won't be at the game," he revealed. "I can guarantee I will be watching it.
"It's a poor performance from me, but the only reason I won't be there is because I will be watching it elsewhere." However, Sutton believes McCoist's initial comments were "clumsy" and "slightly odd".
Chris Sutton has branded McCoist's comments "reckless and irresponsible" (Getty Images)Speaking on the It's All Kicking Off podcast, Sutton said: "He left himself wide open, you know, saying that he along with 48,000 will be committing a breach of the bill in that fixture. Look, I know Ally well, I've worked with Ally a lot.
"I suspect that his comments may have well been tongue in cheek. But if they weren't, then you've got to say they were pretty reckless, irresponsible comments. Daft, I think his choice of words were clumsy.
"I know he's not going to the game. He's come out now and said that he's not going to the game which may have not sort of got him out of it, but his way of getting out of the words which he used. He will have to address this one, I thought his comments were slightly odd in truth."
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