Neil Doncaster calls for 'harsher' Rangers bottle thrower punishments but shuts down strict liability talk

Neil Doncaster insists strict liability is not the answer in Scottish football following the ugly scenes at Ibrox in Rangers’ clash with Celtic.

The second half of the derby showdown was delayed after Joe Hart alerted Willie Collum and stewards that his goal mouth was covered in shards of glass.

Another incident came to light at full-time as a member of the Celtic staff was hit with a bottle during the derby clash.

Police Scotland have launched an investigation into the incident and Rangers have stated they are reviewing stadium CCTV to find the culprits.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon weighed in on Sunday's scenes insisting the football authorities must stamp out the “mindless, thuggish” behaviour - kick-starting the debate over strict liability.

The Scottish Government has previously called for the sanction to be put in place which means clubs can be punished for the misbehaviour of their fans.

However, the SPFL chief executive insists the the clubs must take a hardline stance rather than the door being left open for strict liability punishments for clubs.

Doncaster told The Times: “Strict liability simply does not work, as the repeated fines for specific clubs in Uefa competitions season after season demonstrate very clearly.

“The answer must be far harsher and targeted punishments for the individuals who perpetrate the crime, including a more regular use of football banning orders and, where necessary, custodial sentences.

“There are two main forms of strict liability which have been proposed and neither of them will work.

"The first is to punish the home club for any transgressions in their ground, whether it’s by the away fans or home fans. Unfortunately, this will act as an incentive for some away fans