RANGERS are being unfairly victimised by the media, according to David Murray, the club’s chairman, who claims they are being made a scapegoat for Scotland’s sectarianism problem.

The tycoon said the issue attracts a disproportionate amount of attention and that Rangers are singled out for particular blame.

Murray said Dundee and Dundee United were examples of clubs whose fans trade sectarian abuse on websites which is never mentioned in the media.

His comments follow the ongoing row over the singing of the so-called Famine Song by Rangers supporters, which includes the line: “The famine’s over . . . why don’t you go home?”

The use of the song has been raised at government level in Scotland and Ireland and police have warned fans they risk arrest if they are caught singing it. Murray insisted Rangers have made strenuous efforts to tackle sectarianism, but added: “I think obesity and drugs, where people are losing their lives nearly every hour of every day, is a far greater issue.

“To point the finger on Rangers, I find is a bit soft when you can look at the website of any football club, [at] banners that are sold in any football ground, and they do not come under the same scrutiny.

“I was amazed to see what goes on between Dundee United and Dundee on the websites. In some of these websites it’s just as bad as Rangers and Celtic but because it’s not the west of Scotland it doesn’t get the same reviewing.”

Murray told shareholders at the Rangers AGM that he would be taking up the issue with Alex Salmond, the first minister. He urged supporters to police themselves at matches and stop “serving our head on a silver salver” to critics in the media.

Rangers have been scarred by the sectarian problem for years and the club was fined £13,300 by Uefa for “discriminatory chanting” at both legs of a Champions League tie against Villarreal in 2006.

The behaviour of their supporters at the Uefa Cup Final in May was also widely condemned after they fought running battles with police.

Last week, Scottish football’s governing body said they would consider deducting points from Rangers unless their fans ceased indulging in discriminatory chants such as the Famine Song.

George Peat, the Scottish Football Association president, said: “If the situation doesn’t improve then all we could do is threaten to deduct points.”

Last year, Rangers launched another high-profile campaign against sectarianism, Follow With Pride, to build on the work they previously undertook with their Pride Over Prejudice initiative.

Jack McConnell, the former first minister, has attacked the Scottish government for failing to tackle sectarianism. However, the SNP insists it is working on measures, including providing funding for anti-bigotry groups such as Nil By Mouth.

Times Recommends

• Milk: do we need a dairy godmother?
• DIY: the women doing it for themselves
• First double portrait of Princes unveiled