The ticketing issue surrounding the Glasgow Derby has become a farce. There has been some in the media who would have you believe both clubs have played their part in the fiasco that’s meant no away fans at the derby since the return of supporters after the pandemic.

In reality, there’s only one club who asked for it and it wasn’t Celtic.

The Celtic away allocation was unceremoniously cut before lockdown. An honour system and handshake agreement making sure both sets of fans got a sizeable amount of briefs in both stadiums was kicked into touch by the Ibrox club. There was no logical reason behind it at the time. The only issue they really had was Celtic were enjoying unprecedented success and regularly partying inside the Ibrox stadium.

Since then, we’ve been told by Celtic insiders the club has on more than one occasion tried to open dialogue about returning to larger away sections – it’s always been met with petulance and resistance.

The last attempt was just after stadiums re-opened to fans and Celtic were given 700 briefs for Ibrox. With the tickets inside the Parkhead ticket office, the Ibrox club pulled them at the eleventh hour, shutting all Celtic fans out of the first derby of the season. The reason given to us; was Celtic were asked to give the Ibrox club an assurance they would get the same number of briefs for the January derby. Celtic at the time couldn’t give the absolute guarantee because of the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic – this was enough for the toys to come out the pram and for The Rangers to shut down any sort of dialogue with Celtic.

As we all know, the pandemic impacted the derby back in January and had it not been for the intervention of TEN of the TWELVE SPFL clubs, the game would have been played behind closed doors. Can you guess one of the two clubs who voted for the game to go ahead without fans?

Stewart Robertson then came out in February telling Sky Sports there would be a return of away supporters to the derby and 700 Celtic fans would be at the next Ibrox Glasgow derby which is scheduled to take place in April. This was news to Celtic, who found out about Robertson’s plans through the media.

Celtic put out a post claiming THEY would take their own position in due course about taking up the option of the tickets. We now know those tickets are inside the ticket office once again at Celtic Park.

If I had the ultimate say on the ticket fiasco we’re now facing with our Glasgow rivals – they would be told thanks, but no thanks.

Celtic MUST put out a statement to their supporters and to the Ibrox club; it’s either ALL or NOTHING. Making it clear, in no unequivocal terms, Celtic are happy to come to the table and go back to the old agreement, but anything less should be booted into touch. Over to you Michael Nicholson.

It’s time for our rivals to act like grown-ups.

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