Steven Gerrard calls for harsher punishment after Easter Road bottle-throwing incident

Glass bottle was hurled at Rangers defender during Friday's match in Edinburgh
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Rangers boss Steven Gerrard fears the trouble on the terraces will only get worse unless an example is made of the missile-throwers putting players in the firing line.

Gers left-back Borna Barisic narrowly escaped serious injury during Friday night's win at Hibernian when a glass bottle was hurled at him from the Easter Road stands.

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Gerrard said: "Only action from the clubs will help or stop it in the long run.

Martin Boyle removes the vodka bottle from the pitch as Rangers defender Borna Barisic lies injured on the surface. Picture: SNSMartin Boyle removes the vodka bottle from the pitch as Rangers defender Borna Barisic lies injured on the surface. Picture: SNS
Martin Boyle removes the vodka bottle from the pitch as Rangers defender Borna Barisic lies injured on the surface. Picture: SNS

"We can't just talk about it in the media. There's got to be serious actions taken. The individuals need to be identified because I do believe it's a minority."

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Gerrard added: "They need to be punished and punished heavily so it stops other people trying to do it in the future.

"It's a crazy decision to throw a bottle onto a football pitch. The damage you could do is unthinkable.

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"If the punishment isn't severe enough then people will continue to make bad decisions from the terraces.

"There needs to be an example set - a severe one - and then that will make people think and things will improve. But it does seem like we're going backwards rather than forwards."