SPFL schedule in Police talks as they prepare Glasgow Derby date

March 15, 2023

The SPFL will speak with Police Scotland before they announce the date for the final Glasgow derby of the season which will be staged at Ibrox.

Normally the SPFL would want to make that fixture the first of the last five to reduce its significance on the title outcome.

The Scottish Cup semi-final draw has produced another derby fixture on April 28/29 with the first post split fixtures the following weekend which is a bank holiday.

Back-to-back derbies might not be viewed as the smartest idea but if the fixture is pushed back it could potentially become a title decider, that position will become clearer once the two sides have met at Celtic Park on April 8 with two more fixtures to be played before the split.

Stephen McGowan of the Daily Mail reports:

THE SPFL will hold talks with Police Scotland before setting a date for the final Premiership clash of the season between Rangers and Celtic.

Drawn to meet in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden on the weekend of April 28/29, the clubs stand to face off twice in a week if the SPFL schedule their last league derby of the season at Ibrox as the first or second fixture after the top-six split.

The issue is complicated by the fact the authorities prefer the Old Firm sides to meet as early as possible following the split to avoid a potential title decider. SPFL sources insist no decisions have yet been taken.

The SPFL website reports:

Fixture rounds 34-38 will be played on the weekends of May 6/7, May 13/14, May 20/21, the midweek of May 23/24 and the weekend of May 27/28.

Celtic have two home fixtures after the split which would currently be against St Mirren and one other club but all of the teams currently in the top six will have already been twice to Celtic Park.

St Johnstone would need to make up eight points on Aberdeen to reach the top six to balance the fixtures, the nightmare for the SPFL would be Livingston replacing St Mirren to create a top six where five of the teams have already been twice to Celtic Park.