Aberdeen are planning to reduce the capacity of Pittodrie rather than hand more tickets over to Celtic.
This season Celtic fans were given just over 2,000 for each of their two visits to Pittodrie with an attendance of just 14.135 for the February meeting of the clubs. The stadium currently has a capacity of 22.199.
During the late eighties Celtic were given the Beach End which accommodated 8,000 fans on bench seats but the construction of the Richard Donald Stand resulted in away fans being switched to a corner of the South Stand.
Celtic could easily sell an extra 3,000 tickets for Pittodrie bringing in an extra £150,000/season to the Dons but new chairman Dave Cormack would rather cut the capacity with part of their most modern stand being mothballed.
Cormack told BBC Scotland:
We get teased by all the other fans about the sweetie wrappers being opened and being heard above the fans at the games.
In shutting the top of the Richard Donald Stand, we’re able to have much more of a bowl atmosphere, it will give the fans the ability to decorate that upper area and 15,500 is enough room to have filled everybody in every league game this season including away supporters.
On Saturday Aberdeen beat Hibs 3-1 in front of 14,388, last month’s Scottish Cup tie at home to Kilmarnock was watched by less than 10,000 fans.
