Celtic have issued a response to Rangers regarding away ticket allocations for the upcoming Old Firm derby between the two clubs.
As reported by Sky Sports (19 December), Rangers will have no supporters at the fixture at Celtic Park on 30 December.
The publication added that despite winning a case put to an SPFL board sub-committee that agreed Celtic’s stance of providing zero tickets was unreasonable, an appropriate number could not be reached.
“We are pleased that the sub-committee recognised the importance of safety and matchday experience issues in considering the question of a reasonable allocation for both fixtures,” according to the official Celtic website (19 December).
“While respecting the ongoing process, Celtic stands by its decision not to allocate any tickets for away supporters for the match on December 30th.
“Celtic will continue to focus on the importance of safety and matchday experience issues as we look to address reasonable allocations at Celtic Park and Ibrox from next year, in a responsible manner.”
Disappointing
Regardless of which club they support, both Rangers and Celtic fans will be disappointed at this news, with supporters undoubtedly making this historic fixture much more exciting.
The same can be said for the players, who would definitely rather be playing in front of a boisterous and atmospheric stadium.
But that will not be the case once again at Celtic Park when the two enemies go head to head at the end of the month.
That will also be a blow for Philippe Clement, who is currently preparing for his first Old Firm derby as Rangers manager, and would have loved to have the backing of at least some Gers fans inside Celtic Park.
As per the official Rangers website (19 December), it is “grossly unfair” that Celtic failed to submit sufficient evidence to the Sub-Committee regarding what a reasonable number of tickets should be.
Clement and his players must simply move on from the distraction and make the short trip to Celtic Park with a winning mindset.
