WHETHER Celtic should take 800 supporters to Ibrox on Saturday 29 December or not has been discussed this week following the matter being raised at The Celtic AGM.
Peter Lawwell told the shareholders gathered in the Kerrydale Suite that the club might refuse to take tickets at all as they had yet to be convinced on the safety of our traveling support.
He also stated that the club would, if they do decide to take the drastically reduced allocation, arrange with the supporters to meet at Celtic Park in advance and the club would bus them across the city to Ibrox and bring them back to Celtic Park.
Presumably if the points are won, the first round with be on Peter in the Kerrydale after the game?
James Forrest (the blogger not the player) wrote about this yesterday and pointed out that Rangers have set themselves up for a massive own goal if Celtic supporters don’t attend. It is an intriguing argument.
Imagine the songs. The game itself would get major international attention. The reason why Celtic fans are absent would be discussed around the world. The track record of the Ibrox fans would be on the agenda. Their songs of hatred would be in full flow. Their response to any Celtic goal would be a joy to behold. At say 2-0 or even 3-0 down, can you imagine the state of the place?
The game ending with their place 3/4 empty a Green Brigade banner from the back of a plane flying overhead. It would be crushing for them.
Anyway, Brendan Rodgers spoke about this issue yesterday at his media conference at Lennoxtown. The Celtic manager would prefer to have the support there and in all probability that will happen.
We also discussed this on The Celtic Star yesterday and if you missed this piece it is well worth a read – see HERE.
“You always want your own supporters there from a sporting perspective,” Brendan said.
“But you also have people who travel for a lifetime to these games. Guys who have for decades seen every game Celtic play and for them to then go and miss it is not good.
“That goes for both sets of supporters as well. It’s both sides who will miss out on Parkhead or Ibrox in some cases for the first time in years.
“It’s not an ideal scenario. I don’t know what the gain is on the other side of it all, but I think the games have been great for these first couple of years up here with both sets of spectators able to get in.
“There has been something taken away probably from the games.
“I will tell you better after the first time we’ve gone to Ibrox with limited supporters. But I think over the course of the games home and away they have been great spectacles partly because of the impact of the away support.
“That’s now limited, but there is not really much else to say on it. You go away to do your job and that’s all you concentrate on really.”
Brendan was asked if he had every been involved in a game where one side did not have their supporters present.
“No, I’ve never experienced anything like that,” he replied.
“At Swansea there is a rivalry with Cardiff, but they were fine. Watford had no derby games….’
“It’s something the club will look at. It’s out of our control so let’s get on with it.”
