Time running out with focus on Celtic over Glasgow Derby ticket decision

We are pleased that Rangers and Celtic are committed to achieving the return of away supporters to their derby matches as soon as possible.

Joe McHugh Published: February 27, 2025 | Updated: February 27, 2025

With just 18 days to go until the Glasgow Derby there has been no announcement from either club about ticket allocations.

Either Celtic have around 3,500 additional tickets for home fans or there will be 2,500 tickets sent to the visitors with as many as 1,000 tickets lost to segregation.

Since the start of the 2018/19 season the away allocation of tickets has varied between 0 and 700, the last time away fans were inside Celtic Park for the fixture was September 2022 when they witnessed a 4-0 defeat with a perfect view of Jota’s iconic goal.

Celtic fans were used as target practise in January 2023 as the sides drew 2-2, after that on safety grounds Celtic decided that they would no longer take supporters to Ibrox.

Talks have been going on to come to some sort of solution, it seems bizarre that health and safety is a subject for negotiation with the SPFL announcing last season an agreement of European allocations of ‘around 5%’ subject to safety conditions being met.

With no sign of any safety work being carried out at Ibrox during the summer the Celtic board decided to opt out ahead of hosting the fixture on September 1.

On August 16 with Ibrox still closed and after Celtic decided against providing away fans with tickets to the first Derby of this season, the SPFL announced:

Following recent media coverage around the issue of away tickets for matches between Celtic and Rangers, the SPFL has spoken with both clubs and can confirm it has been agreed between all three parties that:

the September 2024 and January 2025 William Hill Premiership matches between Rangers and Celtic will take place with a zero allocation for away supporters

thereafter, Rangers and Celtic will provide ticket allocations of around 5% of respective stadium capacity for away supporters, for SPFL matches between the two clubs. This remains subject to all necessary requirements being satisfied at both Ibrox and Celtic Park.

An SPFL spokesperson said: “The presence of away fans is a vital ingredient of the passion, drama and excitement that is the hallmark of the William Hill Premiership. We are pleased that Rangers and Celtic are committed to achieving the return of away supporters to their derby matches as soon as possible.”

There has been rumour and counter rumour on social media over whether away allocations will be provided for the March 16 fixture and the post-split match at Ibrox.

Police arrangements will need to be known for a match that is just over two weeks away.

Accommodating 2,500 away fans almost becomes a military exercise, home fans only is fairly straightforward to control with less issues across the city in terms of transport.

An announcement should be made today or tomorrow, either decision is bound to dominate the headlines as the build up gets underway.

(Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)

How many tickets should away fans get for the Glasgow Derby

ZERO- The sensible, safe choice

700- There needs to be some there

5%- The European compromise

7,000 Return of the Free Broomloan

6 thoughts on “Time running out with focus on Celtic over Glasgow Derby ticket decision”

Keep them as far away as possible from parkhead. Let them sing their bile elsewhere. We let them in and they’ll come up with some excuse to make sure we don’t get any tickets for hunland…

what action was taken by the sfa when engels was was injured by coins thrown from the crowd the last time at ibrox ?.another disgraceful incident involving celtic players or staff getting assaulted at the sectarian cesspit.

Keep All Huns Out.
Simple.

Surely, Celtic will have discussed, or will be discussing the upgrades in security promised by the ibrox club for the match on their turf. If, and I personally doubt this, the security measures are in place, then realistically we should be sticking to the agreement and letting them visit. If the work has still not been completed to our satisfaction then it is a no goer.