Kieran Tierney has added his voice to growing calls for an increased away allocation when Celtic travel to Ibrox, backing hopes that the fixture can move closer to the atmosphere that once defined it.
Under Scottish Cup regulations, Celtic are entitled to request up to 20 per cent of the capacity at Ibrox Stadium. While a full 20 per cent remains unlikely, supporters are hopeful the club can at least secure something closer to the old allocation of around 7,500 tickets, a far cry from the reduced numbers seen in recent seasons.
Interim boss Martin O’Neill has already spoken publicly about his desire to see larger away sections return, and now Tierney has echoed that sentiment.
The boss wants all the tickets that Celtic are entitled to.
The left-back knows better than most what a packed away end can mean in these fixtures, having played during a period when both clubs brought thousands of supporters to each other’s ground.
Speaking to Record Sport, Kieran Tierney reflected on some of his standout derby memories and the role the crowd played in them.
“I’m sure both sets of fans would agree that they would prefer to get back to what it was because that makes it the spectacle it is.
“For me it’s the biggest game in the world and the atmosphere is a massive part of that.
“It can help, one hundred percent. For us, we want as many Celtic fans as possible there – because I’ll be asked for hundreds of tickets!
“You want as many fans there as you can.”
Hopefully, we can learn the outcomes of talks in the near future, and Celtic fans can prepare in their thousands to make the journey to Govan.
