The Glasgow Deby ticket soap opera now looks as if it is likely to result in yet another episode, with the news Celtic have apparently been handed 700 tickets for the 3 April trip to Ibrox. On paper this would appear to be an improvement after Celtic fans were denied entry to the first Glasgow Derby of the season and Celtic reacted in kind, but should Celtic really consider rejecting this, particularly in light of the upturn in the sickening songs and banners exhibited by theRangers support?
The initial issue surrounding this season’s allocation of tickets occurred after Celtic advised the Ibrox club they were willing to match the allocation supplied for the return fixture – initially scheduled to be played on 2 January – however, they could not guarantee those tickets, and instead advised the allocation would be honoured as long as any Scottish Government Covid restrictions didn’t get in the way.
With theRangers unsatisfied at what was not only a fair and reasonable response, but also proved necessary, when Covid did indeed impact on the fixture schedule and the game was moved back to 2 February, theRangers decided to go ahead with the August fixture in front of their own fans only. Celtic in turn responded by doing the same for the recent 3-0 ‘skelping at Celtic Park.
It had recently been stated that away fans would return, starting with the Glasgow Derby at Ibrox on 3 April – that was according to their Managing Director Stewart Robertson. However, Celtic’s retort was to state that it’s up to Celtic to make any decisions about giving an away ticket allocation for matches at Celtic Park – a response that now offers room for manoeuvre.
So, what now? It appears Celtic had requested 2500 tickets for Ibrox, the number away European opponents receive for Ibrox, yet in the absence of an agreement just 700 briefs have now arrived at Celtic Park. Incidentally there are plenty of their own fans who support the Celtic position on this figuring that if things go well for them they could be denied seeing a title win at Celtic Park due to the decisions taken by their own board.
theRangers fans showed just a taster of what they will bring to Celtic Park after the split, in recent weeks with banners and songs weaponising the subject of child abuse. As such Celtic could strike first and ensure the duty of care they have to young supporters is undertaken, by following the precedent already set by the Ibrox club earlier in the season of denying access to the Derby for away fans at Celtic Park and refusing all tickets for Ibrox in April.
This obscene, perverse -and increasing sick – obsession from their support now has an opportunity to be met head on. A perfect way to get that message across would be to refuse our allocation for Ibrox next month, in turn bar theRangers support from Celtic Park after the split, and at the same time put every club in Scotland on a warning that Celtic will not accept the continuation of this sort of behaviour in our stadium and where children are subjected to listening to it.
Will it work, who knows? What it will do is send out a clear message that Celtic won’t tolerate it, and it will open up a discussion as to how Scottish football deals with an issue that few wish to debate and most seem to ignore entirely.
Celtic have a tough decision to make here. On one hand Michael Nicholson et al could show some cajones and reject the offer of the paltry number of tickets offered, and in turn ensure Celtic Park is without a visit of the hordes and their obscenities after the league split. Or they could accept the tickets as delivered, allow the same number of fans into Celtic Park for the return fixture, while looking like they were backing down when the impasse was reached and inviting in a group of fans hell bent on filling the stadium with hate.
Personally, speaking I’d rather Celtic told them to stick their tickets, go to Ibrox without fans and return the favour for the return fixture – and continue this for as long as is required.
However, with a certain visit to Australia on the horizon and the Celtic board no doubt in an ‘Old Firm’ state of mind when it comes to testing the water for future Glasgow Derby road shows, you can almost guarantee the custodian of the club will back down on this one and try to appease their Blue room counterparts, all the while selling the decision to the Celtic support as trying their best to persuade the noisy neighbours but accepting some supporters rather than none at all is at least an improvement on the first two derbies of the season.
It would certainly take strong leadership from Celtic to refuse the 700 tickets in their possession, and stronger still to announce it was due to the behaviour of the away support rather than simply the number of tickets offered. Do we have that sort of leadership under new CEO Michael Nicholson?
I guess we’ll know soon enough.
Niall J
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
