SPFL Ticket Allocation for Old Firm Derby
The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has stated that Rangers should receive a "reasonable allocation" of five per cent of tickets for the upcoming Old Firm derby on 10 May at Celtic Park. However, the SPFL has not issued a formal mandate requiring Celtic to provide away tickets to Rangers for this fixture.
Rangers requested intervention from the Scottish Premiership organisers after Celtic refused to allocate any tickets to Rangers supporters unless the Union Bears group was excluded from attendance.
The SPFL commented on the situation, stating:
"It would not overrule a risk assessment carried out by the party (Celtic) legally responsible for the safety and security of the event."
As a result, the resolution of this dispute now appears to rest with the two clubs involved.
Background of the Dispute
The disagreement follows incidents of disorder during the Scottish Cup quarter-final match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox on 8 March. After Celtic won the match on penalties, supporters from both the home and away sections entered the pitch, leading to security concerns.
This upcoming derby will be the fourth meeting of the season between the sides to include away supporters, following a previous period when no away allocations were permitted. Notably, the Scottish Cup tie allowed a higher proportion of away fans, with 15% of the stadium capacity allocated to visiting supporters, in accordance with the competition's regulations.
- Hibs fan views won't affect Celtic game - O'Neill
- Rangers ready for must-win Hearts game - Rohl
