Ex-Rangers star Mark Walters says he's forgiven Celtic fans for vile racist abuse on debut

BlueMeanie

Well-Known Member
Good player for us during his spell at Ibrox ..


Ex-Rangers star Mark Walters insists he's forgiven Celtic fans for racially abusing him during his time in Glasgow.

Walters made his debut against Gers' fierce rivals in January 1988 and was subjected to vile racism where supporters lobbed bananas onto the pitch and made sickening monkey jibes towards the player.

A dart was even thrown at the winger, an issue he admits did frighten him at the time.

Big-hearted Walters, though, never allowed the torrent of abuse to get him down during his time at Ibrox.
And he says he has since forgiven the punters who targeted him.
Speaking on Football Daft podcast, Walters said: "I've always been brought up to forgive and I know a lot of people verbally abused me that day.
"I've forgiven all those people, I just saw it as one of those things I had to go through.

"Unfortunately it happened a bit in England on a smaller scale.
"I was quite used to going to places like Leeds United, Newcastle, West Ham, Chelsea and getting similar but on a smaller scale.
"As a footballer, you just knew it was one of those things you had to get on with or else you wouldn't be a player.
"A few of my friends weren't prepared to put up with that and done other things but I was adamant I was going to be a professional footballer so knew I had to put up with it."
 
Over 30 years on and this is the first I've heard of the dart being thrown at him.
 
Mark Everton Walters is a true footballing legend and Gentleman to go through what he has both in his job and let’s face it his life growing up at a time when racism was rife it is quite remarkable that he’s able to forgive those animals that abused him fair play to him
 
Did Celtic football club ever apologise to him for the disgusting racist abuse he endured by their fans?
Not only that they tried to deflect the blame on to Hearts.
Got to be one of the most overt incidents of racism ever.The amount of fruit thrown and most of their support was chanting!!
 
I would've loved to have seen him play in his heyday. Too young to remember a lot of our early 9IAR players.
 
I like this. He shows he’s magnanimous, but also offers a timely reminder of what hypocritical lying bar stewards these ‘anti fascists’ are.
 
He may forgive but I’m sure he doesn’t forget, and nor will we
What he shouldn’t forget is the lack of condemnation from those who witnessed this.
More than that, those who twisted the story to suit their own agenda an those who have protected the perpetrators of the crime.
 
The club with no shame apologize? I think you know the answer to mate.
I’m sure they gave a fiver to an anti racism charity though.
This is their excuse when their scum fans besmirch Poppy Day commemorations.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ao2
Wonderful player.

Those responsible should hang their heads in utter shame for what he went through that day.

They won't though.
 
Walters was magnificent, a real crowd pleaser and he done the business big time for us.

I was at the game at Celtic Park, it was horrendous what he went through, the worst case of racial abuse ever witnessed in the history of Scottish football.
 
He may have forgiven, we will never forget the worst racist act in football.

Certainly the worst in Scotland, maybe the world ?
 
Back
Top