Old Firm match: Bottle attack smashed young boy's teeth

A 10-year-old Rangers fan has recalled getting hit in the face by a bottle on the way to Sunday's Old Firm game.

Kieran Duffy, from Springboig, Glasgow, said he saw the bottle come flying towards him from the corner of his eye.

He swallowed one tooth on impact and another was removed. He also suffered a hairline fracture to his face.

Keiran was attacked on a minibus at Cathcart Road, near Hampden Stadium. His father Robert said one man in the crowd had "shamed everyone".

The 10-year-old was in a minibus of Rangers fans sitting in traffic at Cathcart Road, when a group of Celtic fans surrounded the bus and hurled abuse at the occupants.

'Covered in blood'

Mr Duffy said the fans passed the bus and a couple of them decided to attack the driver. The door was opened and a bottle was thrown.

Kieran, who was on the bus with his father and twin brother Declan, told the news conference: "I was scared, I didn't know what had happened.

Kieran lost teeth and required stitches after being hit in the face with a beer bottle

"I looked at my brother and saw he was crying. My hand was covered in blood and I realised something was wrong."

Kieran, who required stitches, said: "I swallowed a tooth and one of them was cracked in two."

Mr Duffy, 39, said: "I would say it is a cowardly act. He is a coward.

"They are not real football fans. I am hopeful that the real football fans in that group tell someone who was responsible for this."

'Appalling assault'

Police Scotland have recovered the bottle used in the attack and it will be studied for forensic evidence.

Det Con Kenneth MacEwan said: "This was an appalling assault on the boy who was with his dad and fellow supporters going to his first Celtic v Rangers game.

"He never got to the match but instead was detained overnight in hospital and has a facial injury and teeth missing."

Det Con MacEwan said it appeared that the bottle was deliberately thrown at the minibus but the boy was not specifically targeted.

The man who threw the bottle was described as white, 5ft 11in tall and of heavy build. He was wearing green clothing and possibly a white beanie hat.

A total of 56 people have been reported to the Crown Office for football-related offences following the match. Nine of the arrests were for sectarian offences.