Why Fraser Fyvie owes Rangers’ Andy Halliday an apology

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Without beating about the bush, Andy Halliday was completely cheated yesterday at Ibrox by an opponent endeavouring to get a fellow pro sent off.

Hibs midfielder Fraser Fyvie, recently praising of Rangers to then-fellow team mate Rob Kiernan at Wigan prior to the defender’s move north, engaged in a flagrant disregard for dignity and honesty and feigned the receipt of a headbutt from Rangers’ defensive anchor.

It completely conned referee Bobby Madden who, from the angle he was at, had no hesitation in judging it foul play and an instant red card, assisted by the instant plummet from Hibs’ engine room man to the deck with hands clutching a non-existent injury.


Going back many years this kind of misconduct has swilled in the game for some time, with a famous example being Kyle Lafferty hurtling himself to the turf pretending to be butted by Celtic’s (then-Aberdeen) Charlie Mulgrew in 2009.

The difference?

His assistant manager Ally McCoist demanded he apologise, his manager Walter Smith fined and reprimanded him, and the player himself gave a very public piece of contrition:

“It was something I should not have done and I deeply regret what happened. I will make a personal apology to Charlie Mulgrew because he should not have been sent off. I also want to apologise to the referee and his assistants. It is difficult enough for officials to handle important SPL matches without me making it more difficult by behaving the way I did. I also totally accept I have let down the club and the supporters. There are standards at Rangers Football Club that need to be upheld and I have fallen way below those standards. What I did was wrong and I would like to say sorry to the supporters because they should expect better from a Rangers player.”

Contrast this with Fyvie and Stubbs’ contributions to the post-match nonsense:



“Well, if you look at the video, Halliday kicks out at me to start off with, then he leans in. From there, Bobby came in and made the decision to send him off. If you look at the kick, he’s kicked out at me straight way. Then he reacted the way he did, so it’s up to Bobby to send him off. Was he asking for a red card? I don’t think anyone really asks for a red card but, yes, I would say the referee had no choice.”

Fyvie completely dodges his own vile conduct and pins it all on Halliday.

His manager only exacerbates things:



“I disagree with that. It all depends how your glass is. If it’s half empty it’s different. Why did Andy Halliday put himself in that position? People will say Fraser has done this but you know me, I won’t duck a question and yes, he probably could have reacted better. But why has Andy put himself in that position? I was a bit worried because coming off I think Andy was blaming me. But I never made him go towards Fraser. They were winning the game at that time. Let’s answer the next question. Why lead with your shoulder into someone.”

In other words, both Fyvie and Stubbs deflect the cheating part and try to blame Halliday for the whole incident.

Compared with how Rangers players and their managers react to one of their own behaving this way, it is just night and day. If Fyvie has a hint of honesty about himself, he will apologise.

But he will not. Because it is Rangers, is it not?

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8 COMMENTS

  1. Listening to Lovenkrands on the highlights was pretty amusing, he tried not to say too much about it, well in the 90 in 90 anyway.

    But i 100% agree that Stubbs and Fyvies post match comments are disgraceful, lets see if he gets the suspension he deserves, doubtful though.

  2. It is obvious that Stubbs has learned nothing from this beating that Rangers have handed out to him and his players. Stubbs has brought ridicule upon himself and his players through his antics before the game.
    He only succeeded on putting pressure upon his own players and they couldn't handle it. Rangers management, players and supporters knew that Stubbs was acting like a clown; that he was scared of the visit to Ibrox to face a better team, and decided to try some winding up.
    Hibs think they are better than most of the others in the league, but not Rangers and probably not Falkirk. This bad defeat (let's face it, if Andy stayed on, we'd all have been looking for six at least) will be the start of Hibs season unwinding. I'm sure of that.
    Other teams have been sitting off them and letting them dominate. When Hibs play Rangers though the opposite takes place. They play 'peek a boo' football sitting back hoping to scrape a draw or steal a goal and hang on. They cannot live with Rangers in an attacking duel.
    Others will have seen their fragility and will now have a right go at them. This will not be good for Hibs. I expect rangers to win the league now and Falkirk to chase us home. Hibs will probably make the play offs now and fall at the first hurdle. I honestly can't see them going up now.
    Considering the antics of Stubbs and Fyvie after the game, I can't say I'll be sorry to see them miss out.
    Onward and Upward.
    C'mon the Gers.

  3. Well written ibrox noise,he undoubtedly owes andy halliday an apology because it is without question conning the ref and subsequently cheating which has to be totally stamped out at any level of football,now on to a very special mention to a tremendous wee midfielder that I've continually praised from the day and hour we signed him,take a bow jason holt,this wee guy has been immense for rangers all season and if the season finished tomorrow he'd without doubt imo be the rangers player of the year,its the best 65k our club have ever spent,wee holty is our iniesta,I nickname him 'the linkman',he's always available in pockets of space to take the football and link our play from middle to front,he also has the knack of timing his runs to perfection which thus results in him chipping in with goals from the midfield area,his movement even when he's not got the football is terrific,all I can say is that hearts must have an unbelievable array of attacking midfield talent to have let this wee guy go,its certainly been our gain big style!Jason holt imo will go on to have a fantastic career with us and will get us a high transfer fee when he's eventually sold to an english club for which I hope doesn't happen for a good few years yet but he's that good I do know that it's inevitable holty will play in england with a good club one day soon!

  4. It's doubtful if there will be any retrospective punishment against Fraser Fyvie given
    Scottish football's powers-that-be are still pursuing their vendetta against Rangers. After all, didn't they rescind John McGinn's red card so that he could play against us ? Never fear, we will prevail in spite of the lot of them

  5. Stubbs and Fyvie are good examples……….of sore losers.
    They are admitting that they conned the ref, but its Andy,s fault for giving them the opportunity to do so. An apology is the last thing on their mind. Far too bitter for that sort of thing.

  6. Not a huge law fan but with the exception of Holt he was best player on pitch and Waghorn brilliant too. Red card a joke and Stubbs defended it, what goes around ha He has lost all respect in Scotland even Celtic fans think he's a joke now and fyvie is a cheating rat but what do you expect from a young kid with Stubbs as a mentor?

  7. Great article. Hate the cheats Kyle Lafferty v Aberdeen was a embarrassing to our club. We are better than that. Ffyvie should be equally as ashamed Watp.

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