Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has spoken out about the absence of Rangers fans at upcoming matches, putting the blame squarely on Rangers for not holding up their end of the agreement.
On 1 September, Celtic Park will have no away fans, and the same will happen at Ibrox on 2 January, despite a deal made with the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) in March to allow about 5% of visiting fans.
Brendan Rodgers expressed disappointment over the situation, saying it wasn’t Celtic’s fault. He stated that Celtic had done everything required to make the stadium safe for both sets of fans. The issue, however, was that Rangers did not meet their obligations.
The problem began in 2018 when Rangers reduced the number of Celtic fans allowed at their ground, breaking a long-standing tradition of 7,500 fans traveling across Glasgow for the derby. Celtic responded by limiting Rangers fans at their home games. The tension escalated to the point where neither club accepted away fans for safety reasons.
The SPFL intervened last year when Celtic denied Rangers’ request for tickets to the 30 December Old Firm game. Despite fresh talks and a commitment to restore away fan allocations after the first two matches this season, Rangers were unable to guarantee the necessary safety measures at Ibrox for January’s fixture.
Brendan Rodgers defended Celtic’s decision to keep Rangers fans out, stating that they could not risk allowing them in only to have Celtic fans barred from Ibrox in January. He emphasized that Celtic was not to blame, saying, “This is a Rangers issue, not a Celtic issue.”
The SPFL confirmed that the agreement for away fan allocations remains in place but is contingent on safety requirements being met at both stadiums. An SPFL spokesperson highlighted the importance of away fans for the passion and excitement of Premiership matches.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement, speaking alongside Brendan Rodgers, expressed hope for a return of fans from both sides at future games but admitted he wasn’t involved in the ongoing discussions.
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