Celtic and Rangers have been embroiled in statement wars one again…
Just like old times. Ahead of the final Glasgow Derby of the season — which takes place in a fortnight — the news broke on Friday that Rangers would not have any away allocation at the game.
This is due to the Ibrox club refusing to accept Celtic’s one condition: that the Union Bears would not be granted access to the game.
As a result of the condition being refused, the two clubs have now gone public with the dispute, and the SPFL have given their stance.
The decisions are yours…
SPFL’s rule I27 explained amid Celtic and Rangers dispute
Rule I27 dictates that away ticket allocations must be agreed upon by both clubs at least 14 days before the match.
The wording of the rule is very vague. It says that the home club must provide a “reasonable number” of tickets to the away side.
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The failure to reach an agreement within a fortnight of the game has led to a sub-committee being appointed by the SPFL to reach a verdict.
Of course, Celtic are offering Rangers a reasonable allocation for the game. They are just adding a condition to it.
In a statement, the Ibrox hierarchy argued that the condition violates existing agreements and creates a “material sporting advantage” for the Hoops.
The reasoning for the condition is obvious. In the last derby at Ibrox, members of the Union Bears entered the pitch in balaclavas, charging towards the Celtic fans with missiles. A member of the Parkhead staff was assaulted.
The argument from the other half, you would assume, is that the Green Brigade — the UB’s opposite numbers — will be in attendance at the game.
It’s all very ambiguous, as the unsavoury events of last month’s derby involved fans who weren’t affiliated with either group.
Of course, that afternoon, Celtic were given the full Broomloan Stand at Ibrox, due to the Scottish Cup rules.
How can we ensure that the Glasgow derby can continue having full allocations after the latest incident?
Rangers vs Celtic fan incident reactions
The incidents triggered reactions from pundits, officials and clubs alike.
In a comprehensive statement, The Celtic Fans Collective were highly critical of police operations before, during and after the match
Simon Jordan also questioned the operation as well as the declining funding given to police operations for major matches in Scotland.
In response, the Chief Constable and Deputy Chief Constable both defended the police force, with the former condemning the two clubs for a lack of comment on the conduct of fans.
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