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CONTROVERSIAL NOTE

Rangers icon Paul Gascoigne performs infamous flute celebration as he scores in Legends match

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RANGERS hero Paul Gascoigne scored a poignant goal in the Ibrox club's Legends match - but hit a controversial note as he performed the infamous flute celebration.

The former Gers, Tottenham and Lazio playmaker took part in the fixture to mark the club's 150th anniversary as part of a Rangers Legends XI, up against a team of global stars.

Paul Gascoigne performs the infamous 'playing the flute' celebration
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Paul Gascoigne performs the infamous 'playing the flute' celebrationCredit: Rex
PaGazza holds the ball aloft after scoring and is joined by teammates and opponents
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PaGazza holds the ball aloft after scoring and is joined by teammates and opponents

Alongside Gascoigne on the day were Ibrox heroes such as Kris Boyd, Jorg Albertz and Nacho Novo, plus current manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

The game finished 3-2 in favour of the World XI, with goals from Claudio Marchena, Nuno Gomes and Ricardo Quaresma.

Also lining up against the Light Blues icons were the likes of Kaka, Claude Makelele and Luis Figo, who captained the visiting side.

Shota Arveladze put the Rangers team ahead before the World XI took a 3-1 lead.

Gascoigne was a second half substitute and moments before his goal he waved to the crowd as a corner was about to be taken and performed the controversial 'playing the flute' gesture.

Gazza did the celebration after scoring against Celtic in 1998 though insisted he didn't know about its sectarian connotations and symbolic association with the Orange Order.

He was fined £20,000 by Rangers at the time.

Gascoigne scored moments after the flute gesture and sent the Ibrox faithful into raptures.

Novo crossed into the box for Gascoigne only for him to miscue his first effort.

However Marchena, feeling charitable, teed up the England legend for a second strike at goal and he rolled the ball into the net, though goalkeeper Jens Lehmann clearly got the memo to allow the shot to beat him.

Gazza was immediately hugged by Neil McCann before being mobbed by his Gers teammate AND members of the World XI squad as they celebrated his goal together.

At the end of the match there was a pitch invasion as fans rushed onto the field desperate to get their hands on some of the match jerseys worn by the stars on display at Ibrox.

The majority of those who took to the pitch looked to be teenagers or young adults.

One supporter, wearing a black jacket, bumped into another fan and knocked him over before he was tackled to the ground TWICE by stewards.


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