“Old Firm Derby: Celtic and Rangers at Impasse Over Reintroducing Away Fans, League Intervention Looms

“Old Firm Derby: Celtic and Rangers at Impasse Over Reintroducing Away Fans, League Intervention Looms

Celtic and Rangers are currently far from reaching an agreement to reintroduce away fans to the Old Firm derby, despite ongoing peace talks aimed at finding a solution for the remainder of the season. The deadlock may persist for the final two top-flight clashes unless both clubs are willing to compromise during discussions, and league authorities might need to intervene before their next meeting at Ibrox on April 6.

Efforts are underway to resolve the issue privately, with the hope that the bitter rivals can come to an agreement without external intervention. The conflict arose when Rangers submitted an official ‘request for determination’ to the SPFL before their match at Parkhead on December 30. This move was in response to Celtic’s refusal to allocate matchday tickets for the festive fixture, stemming from Celtic’s earlier decision not to accept an away allocation for the first derby due to safety concerns.

While the league’s sub-committee largely supported Rangers’ complaint, they refrained from compelling Celtic to change their stance at the last minute, citing insufficient information and time for a thorough examination. The request remains open, providing an opportunity for the league to make its decision before the teams meet again.

Rangers argue that they offered a ‘fair and reasonable’ number of seats and are willing to do the same for Celtic’s next Premiership visit. They contend that Celtic acted unreasonably by not providing any tickets for the previous clash. However, Celtic’s board, expressing concerns about supporter safety, emphasized their position during a recent AGM, citing the reduced number of tickets as putting their fans at risk of attacks from home supporters.

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