Celtic fans have a lot to look forward to in these coming months, including a few tasty Glasgow derby encounters against Rangers.
It has, unfortunately, become a common theme for no away fans being allowed in the derby matches and it has dampened the atmosphere inside Celtic Park or Ibrox.
Back in December, the world got to see the Glasgow derby at its best when Celtic beat Rangers on penalties in the League Cup final.
The fans were split 50-50 at Hampden and it generated one of the great games in recent times, with Brendan Rodgers, once again, coming out on top.
Philippe Clement was in charge back then, but now it will be Barry Ferguson, including for Rangers’ visit to Parkhead on March 16.
By the time Celtic travel to Ibrox after the split, the title should be in hand and there will be away supporters to celebrate it.
READ MORE: Celtic captain Callum McGregor eyes return of 7,000 away fans for derbies but makes one thing clear
Kris Boyd hoping away fans returning for Celtic and Rangers games is a ‘long-term’ thing
There haven’t been away fans at Glasgow derbies since 2023, but all of that has now changed and Kris Boyd is hoping it remains in place for the ‘long-term’.
The former striker joked how he is ‘fed up’ of being the only Rangers fan in the building when he is at Celtic Park for the derby.
But Boyd explained how Scottish football benefits worldwide from away fans being allowed into one of the biggest fixtures in Europe, as he told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports News (01/03/25 at 1:40 pm).
“I think it has got to (hold long-term),” said Boyd. “I am fed up of going across the city and being the only Rangers fan in the building when the Glasgow derby comes around.
“I think, for the fans, it’s a fantastic occasion. When you look at, over the years, in terms of what the fans have brought to that fixture. Sometimes, they might not have been at their best, but the atmosphere is one thing that is worldwide. Renowned for the noise it will make. The intensity
“Yes, we all know that both clubs don’t particularly like each other, but there is respect there. But now that they have agreed that fans will come back, hopefully, that is something to look forward to and kick on.
“Get it back to what it was because, on the pitch, you want the best players coming up against each other. But also in the stands as well. You want to see that. The banter and that. I think it is lost in a lot of games and football right now.
“Hopefully, for Scottish football, it’s a great spectacle and a great occasion to look forward to. You just hope that everyone in the stands behaves themselves and they can go and enjoy the game.”
Brendan Rodgers spoke the truth about no away fans in August
Hopefully, Rangers can remain calm when Celtic come to Ibrox with the title in hand because the away fans will make them know about it.
Rodgers spoke the truth, back in August, about how all of this is a ‘Rangers thing’ and they were the ones who threw their toys out of the pram, as he told Sky Sports.
“Celtic have played their part in what they were asked to do,” said Rodgers. “When you go back to when this all started, it had nothing to do with Celtic.
“Celtic get dragged into this here as being a Celtic-Rangers thing It’s not a Celtic-Rangers thing, this is a Rangers thing.
“When asked to have this agreement, make the stadium safe, we plough money into that, that started months ago. On both parties, that hasn’t been agreed, so it’s not complicated, it hasn’t been done.”
Celtic winning another Treble – and that under Rodgers – is also on the cards and that might be hard to accept for those of a Rangers persuasion.
But, people like Graeme Souness need to accept the reality because it’s slapping him right in the face.
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