Big Bad John Hartson hasn’t been one for mincing his words when it comes to the rumour Celtic have been handed just 700 tickets for the 3 April Glasgow Derby at Ibrox, despite Celtic apparently requesting 2500 tickets in line with what theRangers offer the travelling support for Europa League encounters at Celtic Park.
‘”I would say stuff the 700 tickets.. it should be 10,000 fans plus or nothing. If your one of the 700 I would think of the other Celtic fans who are missing out. We all know who started this lack of away fans nonsense.”
I would say stuff the 700 tickets.. it should be 10,000 fans plus or nothing. If your one of the 700 I would think of the other Celtic fans who are missing out. We all know who started this lack of away fans nonsense.
— John Hartson (@JohnHartson10) March 22, 2022
Straight to the point there from a former ‘skelper supreme, and in truth it seems there is a large amount of support for John Hartson’s viewpoint on this one.
The atmosphere at Celtic Park on 2 February where Celtic Park was exclusively filled by Celtic supporters has been lauded, and with Celtic thumping theRangers 3-0 on that particular night, there appears to be a growing appetite amongst the Celtic support to reject any tickets on offer from the Ibrox club and return the favour for the post-split fixture, likely to take place at the end of April.
This one will of course come down to whether the Celtic Board have one eye on a precariously balanced November trip to Sydney, where theRangers are expected to assume the position of Celtic’s support act for Ange Postecoglou’s homecoming tour. And given the Ibrox hordes seem up in arms about their club taking part, and for around half the appearance fee Celtic are receiving, it may well be Celtic will take the easy route out here of accepting theRangers ‘offer’ of 700 tickets, rather than risk any further animosity between the clubs and possibly risk theRangers pulling out of the November trip down under.
Celtic have yet to comment, however, if they were to decide to grow a pair on this issue it would seem John Hartson would be happy to deliver the message personally.
Shaun Riley
