Celtic will be backed by a huge travelling support in a Scottish Premiership stadium next season.
St Johnstone confirmed they will hand over three stands at McDiarmid Park when the Hoops visit.
The Perth side, back in the Premiership after winning the Championship, have made their position clear ahead of the new campaign. When Celtic and Rangers come to town, the away end will stretch across three sides of the ground.
It is a call driven by finances, and St Johnstone have not tried to dress it up any other way.
A club statement read: “As previously indicated, as a matter of financial expediency, we will sell three stands to Rangers and Celtic.
“All East Stand season ticket holders will move to the Geoff Brown Stand for these particular fixtures. Family Stand season ticket holders will be offered seating options in the Geoff Brown Stand.
“Hearts will be given the entire North and Ormond Stands. This allows us to maximise club revenue while keeping the Family Stand season ticket price low.
“We understand that these decisions may divide opinion. However, the additional revenue generated from these fixtures provides a significant financial boost to the club, which is vital in helping us compete and invest both on and off the pitch.”
Home supporters will be housed in the Geoff Brown Stand for those matches, leaving the rest of the stadium effectively in the hands of the travelling support.
From a Celtic perspective, it is a familiar story but a welcome one.
Too many clubs in recent seasons have reduced allocations for Celtic, only to leave swathes of empty seats elsewhere in the ground. That approach has often hurt the atmosphere and, at times, their own balance sheet.
St Johnstone have gone the other way.
They know the demand will be there. When Celtic head to McDiarmid Park, those three stands will be full. There is no risk attached to that decision.
It also changes the feel of the fixture.
An away day in Perth will now carry something closer to a home edge, with the bulk of the stadium behind the team. That matters over the course of a season, especially in tight games where the atmosphere can shift momentum.
For St Johnstone, it is a straightforward financial play. For Celtic, it is an opportunity to turn another away ground into a sea of green and white.
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