Celtic will face Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup final on 23 May, with the second tier club reportedly in conversations with the Scottish Football Association about taking the full allocation.
Neil Lennon will face Martin O’Neill in a master vs apprentice scenario, and thousands of Dunfermline fans want to be there.
Against St Mirren, Celtic outnumbered the Buddies faithful but The Scottish Sun are reporting that the Pars want their full allocation and have plans to take as many as 18 coaches. The fact that they are having to do this highlights a wider issue in Scottish football.
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Balance defines the occasion, not just the winner
The Bhoys secured their place with an extra-time win over St Mirren, while Dunfermline arrived through a penalty shootout win over Falkirk. The contrast in scale between the two clubs is obvious, but the final itself is meant to be a shared stage.
Celtic regularly dominate the stands at Hampden Park, and that presence is part of what makes them such a force in Scottish football. But a national final carries a different expectation, the occasion should be defined by both sets of supporters being visible and heard.
When one side overwhelms the visual and emotional balance of the stadium, the match risks losing part of its identity as a contest between two clubs. The spectacle becomes narrower, even if the football remains the same.
A stronger occasion strengthens Celtic’s achievement
It may seem counter-intutitive to want more opposition supporters in the stands, but having as close to a 50/50 split as possible makes the cup final occasion all the more sweeter.
Hampden Park has sometimes felt like a home game in the past when Celtic have had 80 per cent of an allocation whereas a cup final should have more needle to it.
Regardless of the allocation, Celtic will fill it. A Scottish Cup final should feel like a national event, not a scaled-up home game. Celtic’s stature is not reduced by sharing that stage, it is reinforced by it.
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