Celtic have just tweeted this short statement relating to the false narrative that has been spun this week out of Ibrox re ticket allocations for Glasgow Derby matches: “Further to recent media reports regarding ticket allocations for away fans at Celtic Park, to clarify, Celtic determines the allocation for visiting teams at Celtic Park and will confirm the position for future matches at the appropriate time.”
Celtic briefed the Celtic Fan Media earlier in the season after taking possession of 750 tickets for the first Glasgow Derby of the season at Ibrox only for the club former in 2012 by Charles Green to cancel these briefs on the basis that Celtic’s assurance that they would receive the same number of away tickets for the return fixture scheduled to be played at the start of January – subject to any Covid related restrictions that might be imposed by the Scottish Government – was not good enough.
Celtic had stated in all good faith that the tickets would be given to the latest club playing out of Ibrox provided there were no Government restrictions imposed. That wasn’t good enough for Stewart Robertson, the Managing Director of the 2012 Rangers club and no away fans were therefore permitted at either Ibrox or Celtic Park when that game was eventually played on 2 February in front of 60,000 Celtic Supporters.
🎟 🏟 Further to recent media reports regarding ticket allocations for away fans at Celtic Park, to clarify, Celtic determines the allocation for visiting teams at Celtic Park and will confirm the position for future matches at the appropriate time.
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) February 17, 2022
So not only were there Covid related restrictions on 2 January – these meant the had the game gone ahead only 500 supporters would have been allowed to attend – and theRangers voted alongside Ross County for this ti happen rather than the sensible solution that all other clubs supported – of moving the Winter Break forward to allow these games to have a crowd.
Celtic won that game 3-0 and that was after theRangers also dropped points at Pittodrie in the other game that theRangers wanted to be played in front of just 500 fans.
This week Robertson stated that the decision to play the first two Glasgow Derbies this season without any away fans was reached by both clubs after a discussion took place. Robertson told Sky Sports earlier this week: “There will be away allocation for the next two games. Because of the Covid situation we had back in August the two clubs got together and agreed we wouldn’t have away fans, because we had red zones we weren’t sure what the Covid situation was going to be for that period of time.
“There will be away fans for the two games remaining. It will be the allocation we’ve had for the last couple of years. Going into next year, and the succeeding years after that, as far as I can see it will still be at that level.
“I don’t think that’s underselling the game, I can see why some might think that. From my perspective, a lot of the excitement is what happens on the pitch between (the)Rangers and Celtic. I’m comfortable with where we are in terms of the away fans allocation.”
Now that line from Robertson – “Because of the Covid situation we had back in August the two clubs got together and agreed we wouldn’t have away fans, because we had red zones we weren’t sure what the Covid situation was going to be for that period of time” – is inconsistent with the message that Celtic conveyed to The Celtic Star and other selected fan media sites last summer, in order that we communicate the situation to the Celtic support.
If Celtic were misleading us and in turn allowing us to mislead the Celtic support we would have a right to be angry with the club. However we are are that this is NOT the case and the version of events put forward by Robertson is where any misleading is coming from, thus the message put out by Celtic today.
The Ibrox club might want an away allocation of around 750 at these games, but that might not suit Celtic and Celtic as has been said today will decide on how many away fans – if any – are permitted to attend any game at Paradise.
My own view is that we should not allow their supporters to what could be a title deciding match post split at Celtic Park. The next game is at Ibrox and there will be enormous pressure on their players from their stands. They need to win and that will not be easy against this Celtic team. We can take something from that game and that would set us for a title party with a win win the fourth game, let’s maximise the Celtic advantage for that afternoon.
Celtic were unlucky at Ibrox in August and that was when Ange had a half his team assembled, whereas theRangers were thrashed at Celtic Park in that devastating opening 45 minutes. We have no fears about going there, but they can hardly say the same about their next trip to Paradise.
Celtic should tell Robertson that we are prepared to look at this matter again in the summer and that a return to the full away allocation is our preference with the other three options of the reduced away allocation or either 3000 or 1000 being open for consideration alongside no away fans as the fall-back should no agreement be reached.
Unless the “red zones” still apply, which is very unlikely then the option of allowing no away fans is off the table. SPFL rules state that ‘a reasonable number’ of away fans should be accommodated. Under Rule I27 in the SPFL Rules and Regulations under Admission Prices, Admission to Grounds and Ticket Distribution, “The Home club must make provision for the admission of such reasonable number of visiting supporters at every home League Match and Play-Off Match as may be agreed in advance with the Visiting Club and, in the event of their being unable to agree such number not later than 14 days prior to the date of the League Match or Play-Off Match in question, the number of visiting supporters allowed shall be determined by the Board whose decision shall be final and binding.