Hate crime law latest as Rangers vs Celtic status on guidelines revealed with football authorities 'left in the dark'

Scotland's football authorities have been ‘completely left in the dark’ over how the country’s controversial new hate crime legislation might impact on the behaviour of fans inside grounds.

Record Sport can reveal there were no talks between Holyrood and Hampden bosses ahead of the strict new law’s introduction on April 1. Furthermore, no new guidelines have been issued by the cops ahead of Sunday’s potential powderkeg clash between Rangers and Celtic - the first Old Firm derby to be played since the public order crackdown came into force on Monday morning.

And that has left the game’s governing bodies at the SFA and SPFL with no idea of what to expect inside at Ibrox this weekend if police are under Government orders to come down hard on examples of ‘hatred or prejudice’. One source told us: “There has been absolutely no engagement from the Scottish government with regards how this new law might manifest itself inside football stadiums. As many people have commented it appears to be close to impossible for the police to enforce but we have been completely left in the dark over what to expect now that the new legislation is in place.”

Former Rangers striker Ally McCoist has come under fire this week for suggesting that he would be one of nearly 50,000 home fans breaking the new law during the potentially season-defining derby. McCoist said: “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.”

After becoming embroiled in a storm of controversy, McCoist revealed that he had U-turned on his plans to attend the high noon showdown. He said: “People are accusing me of going to break this act