“Breakthrough Talks: Celtic and Rangers Seek Resolution on Old Firm Away Allocations Deadlock”

“Breakthrough Talks: Celtic and Rangers Seek Resolution on Old Firm Away Allocations Deadlock”

Celtic and Rangers have initiated preliminary talks to resolve the deadlock concerning away allocations in Old Firm matches. The past two derby encounters were held without any away fans present, prompting the SPFL to encourage both clubs to find a resolution.

In 2018, Rangers reduced Celtic’s allocation due to heightened demand for season tickets following Steven Gerrard’s appointment. Since then, both clubs have consistently allocated around 750 away tickets. However, safety and security concerns led both Celtic and Rangers to reject away ticket offers during this period.

The upcoming meeting on April 6th at Ibrox has spurred discussions on potential changes. It is unlikely that allocations would return to pre-2018 levels when up to 8,000 away fans attended these fixtures. SPFL regulations stipulate that clubs must accommodate “reasonable numbers” of visiting fans.

Celtic, expressing a desire to address fair allocations for derbies, responded after Rangers conveyed “extreme disappointment” over the absence of supporters at Celtic Park in the recent Old Firm game on December 30th. For safety reasons, Celtic declined an allocation of approximately 700 tickets for the September 3rd fixture at Ibrox.

While a small number of away supporters attended the first two league derbies last season, safety concerns for the 800 present at the previous games led to no away fans being present at the final two derbies held at Ibrox or Celtic Park.