Education not punishment will deter bigotry, says Kris Boyd
The striker was speaking after he and his manager Steve Clarke were subjected to abuse this week
Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd claims education of wider society is the only way to tackle Scottish football's sectarian problem as he dismissed the concept of strict liability as "ludicrous''.
The former Rangers striker appeared alongside Killie boss Steve Clarke at a media conference to speak out against religious bigotry after the pair were targeted by fans from the opposite side of Glasgow's divide in the past week.
Boyd was also struck by a coin from a Celtic supporter but he dismissed calls for clubs to be held responsible for the actions of fans.
"For me, there is a wider range that needs educating, there's no getting away from it. I mean, it's not just people who go to football games, there's a wider range of society that needs educating,'' the 35-year-old said.
"When you're brought up in Scotland, nine times out of 10 it's either Rangers or Celtic. You're either following the Catholic way or the Protestant way, that's life. But can something be done about it? Yes. You're not born a bigot, you're not born a racist, it's taught.''
However, Boyd does not believe introducing UEFA-style strict liability into the domestic game is the answer.
"If we're talking about maybe deducting points and things like that as well, what a load of rubbish,'' he said.
"I mean it's not possible to do it. If you say, for example, right now Celtic are top of the league and some idiot can go pay a Rangers fan to go sit in the Celtic end and throw a bottle and they are going to take points taken off them.
"It is ludicrous to suggest we'll take points off somebody. I mean it's a wider aspect that needs addressing, it's not just football clubs, it's society that needs educating right from the very bottom.''
While Clarke was shaken by his abuse at the hands of Rangers fans, Boyd labelled the words coming from Celtic supporters as irrelevant, although he had called for action over the missile.
"It's not everybody in the west of Scotland,'' he said. "The big thing here is there is a small group of people, still willing to chant and do whatever they want.
"My issue, maybe it's wrong, but I'm used to the chants, I can take it, it doesn't bother me. It's water off a duck's back to me. I grew up in it.'