Derek McInnes Makes Away Fan ‘Behaviour’ Claim

Derek McInnes has admitted derby matches are better with away supporters after the SPFL confirmed there will be no travelling fans at Celtic and Rangers fixtures for the rest of the season.

The decision was announced on Friday, covering league and League Cup meetings between the clubs for the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign.

It follows the row over the upcoming Premier Sports Cup tie at Ibrox, with Rangers understood to have offered Celtic just 300 tickets despite the previous 5% allocation agreement between the clubs.

Celtic did not accept that reduced figure, and the matter eventually led to the SPFL confirming a full halt on away allocations for the rest of the season.

Speaking to Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, McInnes said he had been caught by surprise by the announcement and had not yet spoken to anyone at Rangers about the club’s position.

“It’s disappointing that it’s been made.

“I think, without commenting too much, because I don’t know the club’s position on it at the minute, I think it’s more appropriate that the club speaks on it.

“It’s always better when opposition fans are allowed into a derby game.”

That much will be hard for most supporters to argue with. Celtic and Rangers matches are better when both sets of fans are inside the ground, and Martin O’Neill made a similar point during his own press conference.

However, McInnes also added a line that may raise eyebrows among Celtic supporters.

“But whether that can be, there’s still got to be behaviours met, and obviously that’s the decision that’s been made.”

The Rangers manager did not name Celtic directly, but the context of the row is important. Celtic had agreed to the 5% allocation model. The latest issue came after Rangers looked to cut Celtic’s allocation for Ibrox to just 300 tickets, a figure the Hoops were never likely to accept.

McInnes continued: “But I haven’t spoken to anybody at the club regarding that, so I can’t really comment any more than that.

“Generally speaking, I think it’s always better in any fixture, in any game, it’s always better if your supporters are there to be able to watch your team.”

The Rangers boss also pointed to the wider issues around the fixture, saying there was “a lot to consider and a lot to discuss” before admitting the announcement had “caught me on the hop a wee bit.”

Celtic were prepared to work with the 5% arrangement, but not a heavily reduced away allocation at Ibrox.

McInnes is right that supporter behaviour has to be part of the wider discussion, but the immediate flashpoint was the ticket offer. Once 300 was put forward, the path to Friday’s announcement became far harder to avoid.