There hasn’t been much to laud over theRangers in the past 12 months. A dismal display all-round in the 2020/21 Scottish Premier League, Scottish Cup, the League Cup and Europa League has meant no silverware has landed at Paradise for the first time in 11 seasons – with those down the road registering a league title to stop the heavily desired 10 In A Row.
Yet, there is something which Celtic will always have over their hated rivals – better support.
With Celtic Park being a stadium which has character, history, tradition and yet also having a modern design – with the added extra of it not falling into the category of being a soulless bowl, as we so often see in modern football – this is something which Celtic will permanently be able to shout over their rivals.
And, football finance expert Kieran Maguire – a professor at the University of Liverpool – has praised Celtic for the special relationship between the club and the fans, with their unrivalled love for the club having a positive effect upon club finances.
Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire said: “For Celtic fans, attending Celtic Park is part of their upbringing, it’s part of their history, their heritage and they’d be loathe to give that up.
“The relationship between a fan and a football club is a bit like a relationship between a parent and a child. You don’t always like them, but you will always love them.
“Also, what they don’t want to do is give Rangers fans bragging rights. Rangers have sold 45,000 and Dominic McKay claims that Celtic have sold 50,000; so therefore they still have bragging rights in terms of that.“
It is a major financial difference between the two sides, given that Paradise holds over 10,000 more seats than Ibrox – with Maguire claiming that in a non-covid season, Celtic typically make around £15million more per season than theRangers – a substantial amount for two clubs involved in a league which is financially restrained compared to the other leagues in Europe.
With a new manager, a new style of play, injected belief and a new strategy about the club, maybe – just maybe – this additional financial support can bring back the league title all Celtic fans are crying out for…
