THE LIVINGSTON manager Mark Burchill has enraged Rangers fans after appearing to defend his midfielder Kieran Gibbons for a bad foul on Nathan Oduwa by pointing out his player was Scots and "one of our own".

Rangers Supporters Trust called on the SFA to take the "strongest possible action" against Burchill over his comments.

Burchill later apologised to anyone "offended by my use of such clumsy words".

Oduwa, who is with the Ibrox club on loan from Spurs, was hurt in a challenge by Livingston's Kieran Gibbons during Rangers' win in the Petrofac Cup on Tuesday night.

The Herald:

Berwick Rangers footballer Andy Russell later called Oduwa, who has represented England from the Under-17 category, a clown on Twitter and suggested he deserved the challenge.

But when Mr Burchill discussed the events on Clyde 1 he prompted fresh anger when he said: "We've got to remember here, there's two players involved in this.

"Kieron Gibbons is a young, talented Scottish football player who has signed for a Scottish club. Nathan Oduwa is a an English footballer who has not signed for a Scottish club.

“So we are pulling someone…we’re dragging someone over the coal who is one of our own, who is a player who could possibly play for Scotland in the future…"

When challenged about his comment, he said he felt sorry for his player adding: "Kieran Gibbons is getting... everyone is saying, you know, this guy, leg-breaker, Kieran Gibbons has a career to have as well.

The Herald:

"And he will probably play in Scotland for the next seven, eight, nine, ten years. He is trying his best, he is trying to have a career, but I was trying to make out that the media, the social media, you have to be careful, there's two people involved.

"Kieran Gibbons didn't mean it, he just tried to win the ball, and he has suddenly been dragged over the coals. He is a young Scottish player, he might play for Scotland one day, you never know. But I don't feel he deserves that sort of accusations thrown at him that he's trying to break someone's leg, it's one of those things that happens."

He added: "The press have been constantly on at me today wanting to get his phone number. He's a 20-year-old guy who's played 12 first team appearance for Livingston football club. I think it's pretty poor, six seconds into probably the biggest game of his life, playing at Ibrox, he makes an ill-timed challenge and he is getting hung out to dry, let's say."

The Herald:

The RST said: "The idea that Scottish players should be able to get away with serious foul play if their target is of another nationality is quite incredible.

"Burchill's comments are unwelcome and worthy of attention from the SFA if they are serious about tackling such issues in football. "

Fans objected to the comments on social media.

Earlier Burchill said: "If I'm honest, most of this has come from frustration from Rangers fans. They expected to turn up and beat Livingston four, five, six nil."

Winger Oduwa had already been at the centre of a storm earlier this season when Alloa player Colin Hamilton accused him of "taking the p***" after a rainbow flick in Rangers’ 5-1 win in August.

Rangers fans have previously hit out at Russell, who has yet to score this season, after he posted a series of tweets that criticised Oduwa.

 

Burchill later apologised saying: “I would like to apologise to Nathan, Rangers and anyone else offended by my use of such clumsy words.

“The point I was trying to make was that Kieran is likely to play his entire career in Scotland. Nathan, on the other hand, is signed for an English club and will probably return to Spurs at the end of the season.

“Of course, nationality has nothing to do with it. I wish Nathan all the best for the rest of the season and hope this draws a line under my unfortunate use of words.”