A HIGH-PROFILE police chief has criticised a York pub for allegedly failing to control its customers during a bad-tempered live football match.

Les Gray said the atmosphere in O’Neill’s, in Low Ousegate, was “sheer poison” and fans behaved “like cavemen” during Wednesday’s Celtic v Rangers Old Firm match.

He said the pub’s licence could have been jeopardised by the behaviour of fans watching the game – but the pub’s owners hit back, saying there were no serious behaviour issues, and any trouble would not have been tolerated.

Mr Gray, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, was visiting York and went to the bar to watch the Scottish Cup replay. Celtic won 1-0 but Rangers had three players red-carded and there was trouble between the two teams’ coaching staffs.

Mr Gray told The Press: “If someone walked in there for a pint – and York is a popular tourist area and one of my favourite places in the world – then they would not be pleased. There was shouting and things you should never hear in a pub.”

He said the behaviour had gone unchallenged, and the pub should look at employing security staff during such big matches.

The fans all seemed to be Celtic supporters, but said even the Celtic fans he was with “could not believe their ears”.

In an interview with Talksport radio on Thursday, Mr Gray said the trouble associated with matches between Glasgow’s top clubs cost the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds a year.

He said: “I was in a pub in York and I will never watch an Old Firm game in a pub again. It was madness and mayhem. The atmosphere was incredible and I don’t mean a nice incredible – it was sheer poison.”

He said that when Celtic manager Neil Lennon and Rangers assistant Ally McCoist clashed at full time, he “thought the roof was going to come off”.

“There were people jumping about like cavemen, ranting and raving with their eyes bulging and their fists waving.”

A spokesman for O’Neill’s said they had received no contact from the local authorities and no concerns from other customers.

The pub had not been especially busy, with about 100 people watching the game, and they were satisfied with staff training.

He said: “We wish to be very clear that whilst many of our customers were passionate about the match there were no serious issues concerning customer behaviour.”