Three men have admitted assaulting the Celtic supporter to his severe injury and the danger of his life following the Scottish Cup quarter-final against Rangers in March.
A Celtic supporter was left with a bleed on the brain after being brutally assaulted outside Ibrox following Celtic’s Scottish Cup quarter-final victory over Rangers.
Bruce Craik, 48, was attacked on March 8, 2026, after Celtic progressed to the semi-finals with a penalty shootout win following a goalless draw.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Mr Craik had been helping fellow Celtic supporters get safely onto their supporters’ bus when he was confronted by a group of Rangers supporters.
Prosecutors told the court that sectarian abuse was directed towards Mr Craik before Ben Stanex punched him in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.
The court heard that Stanex then repeatedly stamped on Mr Craik’s head, while Scott Dragsness and Andrew Graham also kicked him as he lay on the ground.
Mr Craik was left unconscious and was subsequently found to have suffered a brain bleed, alongside injuries to the back of his head and swelling around his left eye.
Three men admit assault
Stanex, 24, Dragsness, 55, and Graham, 21, all from Northern Ireland, pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assaulting Mr Craik to his severe injury and the danger of his life.
Mobile phone footage of the attack was shown during the court proceedings.
Following their guilty pleas, Sheriff Andrew McIntyre described the incident as an extremely serious assault involving considerable violence against a member of the public.
The sheriff ordered background reports before sentencing and revoked bail for all three men. They are due to return to court later this month for sentencing.
Shaun Maloney’s support during recovery
Amid the distressing circumstances, Mr Craik has also spoken about the support he received from Celtic coach Shaun Maloney during his recovery.
Maloney reportedly contacted him daily while he was in hospital before inviting him to Celtic’s Lennoxtown training centre, where he met members of the squad, including James Forrest.
The gesture offered a welcome moment of support for Mr Craik following an incident that left him with serious injuries.
A reminder that football is not an excuse for violence
The attack followed a Scottish Cup tie that was itself overshadowed by disorder at Ibrox, with supporters from both clubs entering the pitch after Celtic’s penalty shootout victory.
However, the circumstances surrounding Mr Craik’s assault underline the distinction between incidents of crowd disorder and the deliberate targeting of an individual.
Football rivalries are an important part of the Scottish game, bringing generations of supporters together through loyalty, tradition and passion for their clubs.
But sectarian abuse and physical violence have no place in football or wider society.
No result, rivalry or allegiance should ever put a supporter’s life at risk.
As the three men await sentencing, the focus remains on the serious injuries suffered by Mr Craik and the consequences of an attack that could have ended in tragedy.
SNN Sports will continue to follow developments in this case.
Source: STV News, reporting on proceedings at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
