Kilmarnock supremo Billy Bowie has ordered a full-scale probe into Sunday’s crowd chaos at Rugby Park – and will ask Rangers top brass to be part of it.
Bowie is set to meet with police and security chiefs this week to examine the cause of the mayhem which marred his side’s opening-day defeat against the Ibrox club.
It led to the collapse of a disabled enclosure as visiting fans celebrated a last-minute winner.
He wants to find out what caused a dangerous crush outside the ground before kick-off and why Gers fans had to force open an emergency exit amid claims of a malfunction of the turnstiles in the Chadwick Stand.
Bowie also plans to look into suggestions that the chronic overcrowding could have been caused by criminals flogging forged tickets to hundreds of away fans.
And he wants Rangers to take part in the probe as the two clubs work together to get to the bottom of the shambolic events.
Bowie told Record Sport : “There are loads of claims and counterclaims flying around so we’ve decided to have a meeting with all the authorities and everybody involved to find out what went wrong.
“Something was clearly not right as there were more people there than the amount of tickets sold.
“So we will have an investigation into everything that went on to make sure it’s put right.
“We’ll be doing that this week and it would be nice to have Rangers round the table but we’ll have to see what they’ve got organised.”
It’s understood Kilmarnock and Rangers have been working closely over the course of the last 48 hours and the SPFL are also monitoring developments after a stormy season opener live on Sky TV.
Rangers fans were heard chanting sectarian songs and also invaded the pitch moments after Connor Goldon headed in the winner, bringing the roof crashing down on top of their own wheelchair section.
An SPFL spokesman said the scenes were “simply unacceptable” adding they “will be studying CCTV footage to see what additional actions are required”.
A Gers spokesman insisted the “failure of Kilmarnock’s ticketing system” caused the congestion and crush fears before kick-off.
They said the “appropriate action will be taken to deal with” those pitch invaders “who can be identified”.
But they added that “it should be pointed out Rangers had made Kilmarnock aware of concerns over facilities for the disabled at Rugby Park”.
