Rangers break silence on fresh Old Firm ticket impasse as Celtic revoke away allocation for next two derbies


The Old Firm ticket row between Celtic and Rangers will continue into the new season following confirmation that there will be NO away supporters in attendance at the next two derby fixtures.
The Glasgow rivals are due to lock horns in the first Scottish Premiership clash of the season on Sunday, September 1 in an eagerly-anticipated match that was supposed to mark the return of visiting fans after an agreement was reached back in March for their reintroduction.
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Hide AdAll four league fixtures between the two clubs last term were played in front of a home crowd only as a result of a prolonged ticket dispute dating back to the previous campaign when concerns were raised by Celtic over the safety of away fans.
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The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) stepped in to demand a solution that would end the feud and confirmed earlier this year that both teams would provide ticket allocations in their respective stadiums of “around 5 per cent” to away spectators from this season onwards. However, that agreement, which was "subject to all necessary requirements being satisfied at both Ibrox and Celtic Park", has now been shelved after Celtic informed Rangers this week in print that no briefs would be provided for the September 1 clash in light of the latest stand-off.
According to reports, Celtic have made their decision after holding behind-the-scenes talks with Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council officials to express concerns over the situation at Ibrox Stadium, which is currently out of use due to a delay in redevelopment work on the Copland Road stand - forcing Rangers to move to Hampden Park on a temporary basis.
It’s believed the Hoops have spent a six-figure sum preparing for Rangers' visit next month where the intention was to accommodate 2,500 away spectators. However, it’s claimed the Parkhead club failed to receive sufficient assurances from their city rivals that Ibrox will be ready in time to host away fans for the return fixture on January 2.
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Hide AdIn response, the Light Blues claim that they had been “taking all steps” to ensure they could host Celtic supporters for the New Year meeting, but will no longer make away tickets available. A club statement read: “Rangers was today informed that Celtic will make no allocation for away fans for the September Old Firm game. The allocation to be implemented by both clubs was clear and Rangers was taking all steps towards fulfilling that agreement. In the meantime, we can confirm that no away allocation will apply for the January Old Firm fixture at Ibrox. This is consistent with the reciprocity embedded in the agreement reached between the club and the SPFL.”
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