A section of Rangers fans have been left furious on Twitter after Motherwell captain Peter Hartley said that he enjoyed watching Fabio Cardoso get his nose broken by Ryan Bowman last year.
In a heated Scottish League Cup semi-final last October, Cardoso, who has since left Ibrox, was left sidelined for weeks with a serious face injury after he was elbowed by Bowman.
And ahead of Motherwell’s meeting with Rangers at Fir Park on Sunday, Hartley has provoked the Gers fanbase with a classless comment about the incident.
“There won’t be much respect shown, to be honest…. I think [Ryan] Bowman broke a boy’s nose… that was fun to watch him weeping,” he said, as quoted by STV journalist Raman Bhardwaj on his personal Twitter account on Thursday.
Motherwell captain Peter Hartley ahead of Rangers match:
‘’There won’t be much respect shown, to be honest…. I think [Ryan] Bowman broke a boy’s nose… that was fun to watch him weeping’’— Raman Bhardwaj (@ramanbhardwajTV) August 23, 2018
Some Rangers fans are understandably furious, with one claiming XX
This is Futbol has rounded up some of the best tweets:
What an absolutely scummy response. This guy is the Captain of Motherwell?
— MA (@19MA84) August 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/McCoistAndy/status/1032560512272355329
https://twitter.com/carlbruce86/status/1032562505799925760
https://twitter.com/ryanrfc80/status/1032563626794737664
That’s a club captain, great role model eh
— Simon McQ (@simonmcq) August 23, 2018
Serious question- would that not be classed as potentially bringing the game into disrepute?
— Greig Marshall (@Greigredstar10) August 23, 2018
Rat
— Rangers Talk on The Spot (@GersChat) August 23, 2018
OPINION
Hartley obviously wanted to provoke a reaction with his comments – and he has got one from the fans at least. You can understand why these Rangers fans are furious with the Motherwell captain. His comments are classless and he really did not need to say anything. Steven Gerrard and his squad will no doubt see what Hartley has said, but that should not concern them. They have bigger fish to fry against Ufa in the Europa League on Thursday night and it seems that the Steelmen player is trying to get some attention ahead of the big game. He’s also probably tried to get into the heads of a Rangers team that have already picked up two red cards in the league this season – albeit one being struck off. Hartley wants to get the Gers squad angry and to make mistakes and pick up yellow cards or even a red. Gerrard has to address these comments not only in the press but also to his squad to make sure they do not leave a cheeky kick or anything on the Fir Park captain.