Rangers banning Chris Sutton from Ibrox entry sees BT Sport issue pundit warning

BT Sport have warned Rangers they won’t allow the club to pick and choose their pundits after Chris Sutton was again denied entry to Ibrox.

The former Parkhead striker was due to be part of the broadcaster’s coverage of the Europa League double header featuring Bayer Leverkusen v Celtic and Rangers v Sparta Prague.

Sutton and ex-team-mate Neil Lennon weren’t permitted entry to the Rangers game with Lyon in September on ‘safety’ grounds.

Rangers again refused to allow Chris Sutton into Ibrox prompting a backlash from BT Sport

And when the Englishman was again refused accreditation by Rangers on Thursday night, BT Sport abandoned their plans to broadcast from Ibrox and set up a studio at an empty Celtic Park instead.

Prior to the Celtic game in Germany, BT Sport host Darrell Currie read out a prepared statement outlining the company’s standpoint – as he introduced Sutton as the ‘elephant in the room’.

Sutton arrived at Ibrox to provide broadcast punditry for Rangers’ clash with Sparta Prague

He said: ‘We have a presentation team who reflect all angles and experiences in Scottish football but who were not all provided with the necessary accreditation at Ibrox today.

‘We will not be forced to split a team behind and in front of screen. The only way to provide viewers with the continuity of coverage across tonight’s two matches – featuring Celtic and Rangers – was to set up a studio elsewhere.

‘We decided with Celtic playing first that we would come to Celtic Park and joining us for this one is Chris Sutton and Stilian Petrov.’