Celtic legend Peter Grant has delivered a scathing critique of Hearts for drastically cutting the Hoops’ away allocation while failing to fill their own stadium, branding the situation “embarrassing.” The former Celtic midfielder made his comments during Go Radio’s Football Show, highlighting the frustration of Celtic supporters and the apparent lack of logic behind the decision.
Hearts limited Celtic fans to just 600 tickets for Saturday night’s clash at Tynecastle, despite large numbers of empty seats visible in the ground. This trend of restricting Celtic’s allocation has become common in the SPFL, with clubs claiming they prioritise their own fans. However, Grant argues that the policy makes little sense when seats remain unsold.
Speaking on the issue, Grant said on the GO Radio Football show: “They (Hearts) should be embarrassed. Scottish football should be embarrassed. Sky should be telling them, if that is who is doing the game, they should be saying, ‘No, no – you sell your tickets fairly.’ A friend of mine told me there is two tickets between 11 buses.”
Grant’s frustration stemmed from the impact this decision has on genuine supporters who are desperate to attend matches but are unable to secure tickets. He added:
“They will never sell out (Tynecastle) – if Celtic or Rangers don’t go to these clubs, they don’t sell out anyway. All the kids that want to go with their fathers that can’t get tickets together – it’s absolutely scandalous.”
Addressing the frequent argument about the reduced allocations for Celtic and Rangers derby matches, Grant was quick to point out the difference: “I understand that Celtic and Rangers have got the problems they have with each other, but at least the stadiums are full for that game, you know? That is the difference. That is ridiculous.”
“You continue on and you go through the other stadiums and you see how empty the seats are when Celtic and Rangers are not there. When we have people that are desperate to go to the games and we can’t get them through the turnstile it’s an absolute joke.
Grant’s comments followed Celtic’s commanding 4-1 victory over Hearts, with the 600 travelling supporters making their voices heard despite their limited numbers. His remarks will resonate with Hoops fans, reigniting the debate over allocations and the broader implications for the league’s reputation and growth.
