Steve Clarke has launched a blistering and no holds barred attack on Rangers fans after being targeted for sectarian abuse at Ibrox.
The Kilmarnock boss was incandescent after being labelled a “fenian b*******” as his side crashed out of the Scottish Cup.
Furious Clarke mocked Rangers for claiming sectarianism was a thing of the past in talks after they offered him the chance to be named successor to Pedro Caixinha last season.
Clarke also launched a stinging rebuke of ref Alan Muir and his team as Killie were reduced to 10 men and denied an early penalty as they lost the fifth round replay 5-0 as Alfredo Morelos shone with four goals.
The game was overshadowed by the aftermatch comments by Clarke, who called out Rangers fans after they taunted him with the sectarian chant near the end of the game.
He said: “It’s lovely, nice being back in the west of Scotland – really nice. When I was approached by Rangers about taking over the job here I was assured, ‘Nah, we don’t have that in the west of Scotland anymore and it has gone.’ Hahahaha.
“They can call me a b****** or a w*****. No problem, thanks guys. But to call me a fenian b******? Come on.
“What are we living in? The dark ages? They’re not allowed to call my assistant (Alex Dyer) a black ‘b’ but they can call me a fenian b******? Is that correct? Is that correct? What are we doing in Scotland?
“I wake up every morning and thank Chelsea for coming and taking me away from the west of Scotland because my children don’t understand this.
“My children and my grandchildren have nothing to do this with this, thankfully. They don’t understand this, they don’t need to worry about this. It’s fantastic to be back in Scotland, eh?”
His comments come just days after Killie striker Kris Boyd also hit out at Celtic fans after being targeted for sectarian abuse as he warmed up at Rugby Park.
Clarke was also bitterly upset at the decision by Muir to dismiss an appeal for a penalty after Joe Worrall manhandled Eamonn Brophy just two minutes into the game.
He could not contain his anger at the whistler’s call, on the advice of assistant Drew Kirkland, to dismiss keeper Daniel Bachmann midway through the first half for elbowing Glen Kamara.
Clarke added: “If the penalty had been given in the first two minutes it would have been different.
“It doesn’t matter when it comes - a penalty is a penalty. Thirty seconds in or thirty seconds into injury time - it’s a pen, so just give it.
“The red card was a joke, a joke. If that’s the standards we might as well go home. Why speak? It’s every week, every other week. Why?
“You’ll probably write, ‘Morelos, four goals’ but the officials decided the game. It’s embarrassing.
“As for the red card, the goalie just lifted his arms. Every goalie does it every week. It’s embarrassing.
“I’m talking in general. Bad decisions. All we talk about is our refs.
Foreign refs? I’m not interested in talking about that. How can I talk about football tonight?”
A Rangers spokesman said: “Rangers Football Club wishes to make it clear unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated at Ibrox.
“Everything possible will continue to be done to eradicate this kind of behaviour.”
