Visiting Feyenoord fans have claimed they’re planning to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone in memory of Fernando Ricksen – but some Rangers fans are split on their motives.
The famous Liverpool song is also sung by rivals Celtic and many believe this is just an attempt to shoehorn it into Ibrox.
Feyenoord fan Jeffrey Nederlof took to Twitter to claim that when the notorious fans sing it, it’ll be for the right reasons.
To all @RangersFC fans. If Feyenoord fans start singing "you never walk alone", please understand it will be for Fernando Ricksen and not to bash your club. It is our way to tribute him. Please retweet to avoid a misunderstanding. #ranfey #Rangers #Feyenoord
— Jeffrey Nederlof (@JeffreyNederlof) September 18, 2019
Some supporters are more than happy for this “tribute” to go ahead and trust that it is genuine and not just an attempt to wind-up the club’s fans.
https://twitter.com/_IbroxLoyal/status/1174388555197685761
Let them honour him in their own way he was one of their own too. Let's respect each other, life is too short people. The tims aren't the only people who sing that song. They copied other clubs!!! This is for Fernando people!
— Do The Bouncy loyal (@DoTheBouncy) September 18, 2019
Naturally, other Rangers fans are very sceptical that this will be the case with the notorious Feyenoord hooligans singing the song and causing a rammy in Glasgow during their last visit in 2002.
Some see it as no more than a wind-up and are not interested in pleasantries. Some feel that there are more fitting tributes to Rangers legend Fernando Ricksen.
https://twitter.com/thepilgrim1912/status/1174358680650878978
May not be meant to be disrespectful, but it’ll be drowned out the moment it is heard.
— Ibrox Chat (@IbroxChat) September 18, 2019
That choice has to be reconsidered
— fraser M 55 (@mckay_fraser) September 18, 2019
Pick another song if you want to pay tribute properly
— Douglavey (@JamesyMFH) September 18, 2019
Yer getting booed then
— RANGERZzz (@_RANGERZzzz) September 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/danbobareebob/status/1174378606241484800
Why don't you all donate a few euros to the @mndassoc charity instead of singing and maybe clap as a mark of respect ? @Feyenoord #feyenoord #fernandoricksen
— Nick The Greek (@Noseyaintya69) September 18, 2019
They’ll be drowned out if they do! 🙌🙌
— Stevie (@SMcCrae77) September 18, 2019
Pick a different song as were going to drown you out if you sing this
— bluebell55 💙🇬🇧💙 (@laineyaitch) September 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/gordong1992/status/1174363127967883264
For me, there are much more apt tributes than singing a song which represents a team that Fernando Ricksen fought against most of his career.
But if there is a genuine sentiment here then there is little wrong with the club’s fans wanting to pay their own respects.
Whatever happens, Rangers fans will be spending the majority of the match getting right behind the team in Fernando’s honour.
Tributes have been pouring in for the Dutchman. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Fans have been gathering at Ibrox over the last 24 hours to pay respects to the former Ibrox captain.