Celtic refuse tickets for Ibrox corner and demand return to full away allocation

There will be no away supporters at the two forthcoming Glasgow Derby matches in the Scottish Premiership starting with Celtic’s home fixture with theRangers on Saturday 8 April. And the post-split match at Ibrox which is likely to take place the weekend after the Scottish Cup semi-final clash at Hampden on Sunday 30 April, will not have any Celtic supporters in attendance.

That of course could be the date when Celtic win the league and it would be rather remarkable for that to happen with no supporters there in a stadium that would pretty much be empty should Celtic win the match to secure the title.

From sources closely involved in this matter, The Celtic Star understands that Celtic refused the away allocation for the forthcoming match at Ibrox on the grounds of supporter safety concerns. The Ibrox club wanted the normal 700/800 ticket allocation to happen as has recently been the case but Celtic have rejected this and have no plans to revert to sending our supporters into that corner in the future.

Celtic have also told the Ibrox club that they want a return to the traditional levels of tickets for away fans at both grounds and that would mean that the Broomloan stand would be once again Free and full of presumably over-celebrating Celtic fans. That though is NOT something that theRangers will agree to so unless there is a compromise posiiton reached there will be NO away supporters at Glasgow Derby matches going forward.

The decision to exclude away fans from these two Glasgow Derbies come after both clubs had talks with Police Scotland amid on-going controversy surrounding these games. Celtic physio Daniel Friel was scarred for life last April after being hit on the head with a glass bottle thrown by theRangers fan Alan Crawford who recently plead guilty to the offence. Crawford is waiting to be sentenced. And in the same match broken glass was thrown onto the pitch during the half-time interval from theRangers fans in the Copeland Road stand with Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart the obvious target. Play was delayed as a thorough search was made of the penalty area to remove the glass.

Celtic physio Daniel Friel was scarred for life after being hit by a bottle thrown from the corporate seats at Ibrox.

In the most recent match at Ibrox on 2 January this year a Celtic supporter in the away corner was hit on the head by a bottle thrown by a supporter of theRangers from the Broomloan Road stand – meaning there has been serious incidents involving their support from the Main Stand, Copeland Road Stand and Broomloan Road stand.

Broken glass was thrown on the pitch ahead of the second half last April by theRangers support

The two sides met at Hampden in the League Cup Final and other than some early morning drama involving rival sets of Ultras there seemed to be little trouble at the national stadium.

While today’s news will disappoint the Celtic supporters who would like to attend the match at Ibrox, many other Celtic supporters, ourselves included, welcome the decision not to allow their supporters into Celtic Park (where it is at least reasonably safe for the away support with no serious incidents ever reported) and in particular to stop our supporters going into that death-trap of a corner.

A Celtic support had his head spilt open when he was hit by a bottle thrown by a Rangers fan at Ibrox on 2 Janyuary 2023.

READ THIS…Metal object thrown at Greg Taylor and Celtic physio, Celtic fans hit by bottles

The Herald’s ‘Senior Rangers Writer’ Christopher Jack (these are the same People who bring you that subscription site Celtic Way) reports that the Ibrox board have ruled out a return to handing over the Free Broomloan Road stand to Celtic supporters as had been the long standing tradition, due to most of these seats now being sold to season ticket holders. The Daily Record are also carrying a distorted version of what has happened here and to be clear Celtic FC are the drivers on this development due to refusing to take tickets for that corner of Ibrox as the club do not feel that it is safe.

And that position is understandable, when you watch this video from 2 January. Incidentally the blood soaked hand you see on that photograph above belongs to one of our Celtic Star writers.

@celticsquad88 THIS IS A BETTER VIEW OF THE INCIDENT #Blood #celtic #celtic #celticfans #rangers #oldfirm #glasgowderby #awayfans #scottishpremiership #rangersdans #topoftheleague #scotland #football #coybig☘️ #scumbags #ibrox #canyouheartherangerssing #scotlandshame #footballfans #awayday #huns #celtic ♬ original sound – Celtic hub

Talks are to continue to find a solution, which could mean a larger away allocation perhaps of around a few thousand, but no return of the 800/700 arrangement that is now dead in the water as far as Celtic is concerned and theRangers don’t want a return to the full away allocation. So it looks like home fans only and frankly, given their behaviour that is the best solution as things stand for the Celtic support.

Oh and finally watch the attempts to make up stories about their fans being subjected to similar treatment at Celtic Park as the Rangers correspondent at The Herald has already done.  That distorts the true and that is something that all the Celtic Fan Media should be calling out. We’re happy to lead the way.

Here’s the latest lie this time from Sky Sports which has been immediately called out by James Forrest at The Celtic Blog…

“However, following incidents at recent meetings at both stadia, the two clubs have held meetings and decided to only admit home supporters to the upcoming league matches.”

Last time we played then with no away fans we pumped them 3-0 in what was an unforgettable night at Celtic Park.

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About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

5 Comments

  1. Celtic Way – you don’t have to subscribe, they always give you the full article, it disappears very quickly but if you need more time to read it then refresh the page and before it disappears then a quick select all, then copy, then paste into a word document usually allows for longer to peruse. Sometimes a switch to text view on a phone does the trick as well.

  2. Sean McGinley on

    Thank you. Another site for me to avoid. There are so many of these sneaky b’s trying to cheat us, as is their way, but I am constantly on the watch for therangers driven sites. click No to Sevco !

  3. Thomas McNairn on

    I have always said that they would ruin the fixture and now they have.what a shame the best derby in football no longer.FOOTBALL IS NOTHING WITHOUT THE FANS.HAILHAIL!!!!

    • Sean McGinley on

      These people would be happy to destroy Scottish football if needs be to stop us. I predict taht, before too long we start getting ” we need restrictions on spending in the SPFL ” to make it more fair ! or an equivalent attempt to expel Celtic from Scottish football if we get much stronger. !! Watch this space.

  4. Coyle celtic clan on

    Childish pish by rangers again ..by the looks of it they have offered 800 tickets for ibrox after celtic extending a olive branch about bringing it back to a ten thousand allocation and rangers have went no 800 we are offering there for celtic have withdrawn all away tickets ..they have already banned sutton and hartson with a shite excuse we cant promise youll be safe if you come here …there so stuck in the dark ages its unreal …it wasnt so long ago they wouldn’t sign a catholic or anyone with catholic roots …a cleaner was sacked there who worked for them 20 years after revealing her husband and children were catholic …they seemed to be moving out of the dark ages when souness signed a traitor whos named i wont speak or even type. I wouldnt insult my phone …then of course they said they cut our tickets cos we recked there toilet ah responce from our fans to wgen rangers fans who ripped out seats and through them at our home support they also recked our concourse. And toilets ripping out seats ripping out cealine tiles and sinks flooding the away it ….celtic paid they money vut did not ban fans adter this at ibrox a few 100 seatsgot brocken in response rangers banned the full celtic away end celtic followed suit but when 800 were giving to each we seemed to be coming to a conclusion untill sutton and hartson get refused entry with there companies complaining now this. …this will only stoke anger and more resentment among fans of both side …but well done celtic and micheal Nicholson for trying to find s way to end this and for not bowing to unacceptable offers from govan