Despite a bitter soccer rivalry spanning more than a century, and a bumpy political landscape in recent months, Scotland and England’s first clash since the Scots voted to remain within the UK passed off peacefully on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said there had been 26 arrests, including seven in the Celtic Park stadium.

The last time England played in Glasgow in 1999 there was widespread mayhem with more than 200 people arrested.

This time around, however, the highly visible police presence throughout the city centre prevented trouble.

“The whole day went very well. There were minor incidents throughout the day but very, very few arrests,” a spokesman for Police Scotland told Reuters.

“We’ve had no major incidents within the city area, and the match passed off very peaceably.”

The only sour note on an otherwise peaceful night came from a section of the England fans who chanted anti-IRA songs during the first half of the match at the home ground of Celtic, who have strong connections with Ireland.

The songs stopped after FA officials told the England supporters band to stop accompanying the chants at half-time.

England manager Roy Hodgson, when asked afterwards, said he was not aware of what the chants were but added: “No one in football can condone what they were chanting.

“If anyone was offended by it I am sure the FA would like to apologise for it but all we can do is play our football and be grateful for the support.

“Hopefully they will all behave themselves and not put themselves into a situation where their chanting is being criticised.”

Apart from the usual jeering of the national anthems and opposition players before kick-off, both sets of supporters were well behaved in and around Celtic Park, where a Scottish fan died on Friday in an accidental fall down a stairwell after Scotland’s match against Ireland in a Euro 2016 qualifier.

A small shrine was erected in 20-year-old Nathan McSeveney’s memory outside the main en-trance to the stadium with shirts and scarves from Scottish teams including Celtic’s arch-rivals Ran-gers, on display.

A minute’s applause in his honour was impeccably observed by both sets of fans before the kick-off.

England won the match 3-1 to record their sixth successive win since the World Cup.

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