Manager of Airdrie bar hit with bottle as violence erupts between rival football fans in town centre

A manager of an Airdrie bar has told how he was hit in the head with a wine bottle when violence broke out between rival football fans after a badly-misjudged attempted at a joke.

Thugs descended on the town centre's West End Bar at around 1.30pm on Saturday, where they threw bottles and threatened supporters inside the premises.

Video showed a baying mob fighting at the bar’s entrance and it is believed St Johnstone fans who had travelled for the Scottish Cup tie, which Airdrie won 1-0 to set up a last-16 home showdown with Hearts, clashed with Airdrie supporters

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Scott Rae, 47, manager of the West End Bar, said he was “shaken up” by what happened in the pub he has run with little trouble for 25 years.

“The trouble all started because of the tweet that guy put out.

"He’s messaged me saying he’s sorry and it was meant to be a joke, but it’s not very funny.

"As I was trying to put folk out who had been punching people in the pub, I was trying to shut the doors and was hit by a prosecco bottle somebody had thrown.

“I wasn’t hurt but there were people inside with cuts and bruises.

"The majority of folk in the pub at the time were Tartan Army fans who are friends of mine that I had invited to come and watch the game. I was disgusted.”

Online speculation linked the attack