Josh Windass hits out as former Rangers star slams football's decision to shut down over Queen tribute

Former Rangers midfielder Josh Windass has vented on the decision to shut down football following the sad passing of the Queen.

The Queen died on Thursday, aged 96, and now sport is set to shut down in unison as a poignant mark of respect for the long-reigning monarch. Rugby, horse racing and golf events have all been postponed their events, with the SPFL, EFL and Premier League have called off the weekend's fixture list as a mark of respect for Her Majesty's 70-years of service.

However, the decision to put the fixture card on hold this weekend has led to some criticism. Sheffield Wednesday's English League One clash with Plymouth Argyle has been postponed as part of the tribute, but Windass admitted he couldn't understand the decision from Football League chiefs. Taking to social media, the former Ibrox playmaker initially responded bluntly by tweeting "baffling" before clashing with other users online.

He went on: "Thousands and thousands of people are now out of pocket cause of non refundable tickets and hotel bookings and many other things. The country is already on its knees."

When questioned over a lack of respect for the monarch, he responded: "I respect the queen mate. Very much so, I don’t respect forcing people to sit at home and be sad and lose out on hard earned money. But that’s just my opinion."

Scottish League Two side Albion Rovers have also raised concerns of the impact on their fans, after the cancellation of their away trip to Elgin City. A club statement read: Our match against Elgin City, which was due to take place tomorrow afternoon, has now been postponed as mark of respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

"We understand some of our supporters will be severely out of pocket if they have