RANGERS Football club today welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Government of a new partnership to promote positive citizenship through football.

The new group “Promoting Citizenship through Football - A Government and Football Partnership” will be chaired by Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith and will promote positive citizenship such as alcohol and drugs misuse, anti-social behaviour,  violence, domestic abuse and continuing work on sectarianism and other bigoted behaviour

A club spokesman said: “We welcome the new focus from the Scottish Government, particularly in tackling issues such as anti-social behaviour, violence, alcohol and drugs misuse.

“We also welcome the fact that the issue of sectarianism is regarded within the wider context of anti-social behaviour and is not singled out as being the only issue to be confronted.

“This is the approach we have advocated for some time and also reflects the extensive work that the club already does with its partners through a wide range of community programmes - work which has been widely recognised at Scottish and UK level.”