New record crowd awaits visitors in Peterhead

WHATEVER the score is in tomorrow’s fourth round Scottish Cup tie between Jim McInally’s Peterhead and holders Celtic the Third Division side will be creating a record at their Balmoor ground as the match is a sell-out.

A capacity crowd of 4,600 fans will pack into the Blue Toon’s ground to create a new attendance record and there has been a lot of work carried out to make it happen according to the club’s chairman Rodger Morrison.

The life-long Peterhead supporter said: “We have increased our crowd capacity for this game by making a number of changes including putting in raised standing areas behind both goals to get all the fans in.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Work started to get done as soon as the draw was made with Morrison adding: “There was talk from some people of a move to Aberdeen’s Pittodrie. That was never an option as far as I was concerned. This is our home and I wanted the game played here.

“Our previous record attendance of 3,700 was against Partick Thistle in the Division Two Promotion play-offs back in 2006.”

On the field, The Blue Toon may sit second bottom of the Third Division and Celtic at the top of the SPL but the clubs have been a lot closer off the field in recent weeks. Morrison explained: “The co-operation from Celtic has been first class. We had ground covers that we bought from Gretna, however they were not as good as the ones Celtic have, so they loaned us theirs and they have also helped with other matters including stewarding.

“This will be our first ever competitive game against Celtic and completes the Old Firm double as we played Rangers at Ibrox a few years ago in the Scottish Cup.”

The interest in the game has been far more intense than it would have been for their scheduled match against Alloa. Morrison said: “We have been fielding phone calls and e-mails from around the world, but the sold out signs are up now and we can not squeeze anyone else in.”