'Not a Celtic issue' - Bullish Brendan Rodgers pins blame on Rangers for Old Firm ticket row

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has pinned the blame entirely on Rangers for the ongoing Old Firm ticket row that will see the next two derbies take place without any away supporters.

It emerged earlier this week that Celtic had decided not to grant access to Rangers fans for the first derby of the season at Parkhead on Sunday, September 1, following discussions with the police and Glasgow City Council. This in turn led to a statement from Rangers stating that they would also not permit Celtic fans into Ibrox for the January 2 derby next year.

This is in spite of a resolution in March where both sides agreed to end the ticket impasse that saw all four league matches last season played in front of home crowds by giving up five per cent of their stadium for visiting fans from the start of the current campaign. That arrangement has now been put on hold until the third Old Firm fixture of the season, currently scheduled for March 15 at Celtic Park. Celtic issued a statement insisting that the lack of a “guarantee” from Rangers - who are currently playing home matches at Hampden Park while delayed stadium work is carried out at Ibrox - over the prospect of hosting away fans in the January 2 showdown led to their decision to revoke their rivals’ ticket allocation for the September 1 clash.

Brendan Rodgers during a Celtic training session at the Lennoxtown Training Centre, on August 16, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group

And in his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Hibs in the Premier Sports Cup this weekend, Celtic boss Rodgers pulled no punches as he described matter as a purely a “Rangers issue”.

He said: “I think the board have made a really good decision in that the club’s job is to protect the support. If there is not that guarantee come the second fixture then it's only logical you wouldn't reciprocate. Celtic have played their part in what they were asked to do.

“Nothing of this was Celtic's issue. Nothing. When you go back to where this all started, this is nothing to do with Celtic. Celtic gets dragged into this as being a Celtic-Rangers thing. But it's not a Celtic-Rangers thing. This is a Rangers thing. So when Celtic are asked to have this agreement, to make the stadium safe, we plough money into that, we do the work, which started months ago. On both parties, it hasn't been agreed. So it's not complicated. It hasn't been done. It's not great faith if we allow Rangers supporters in and we get to January and our own supporters can't get in. It's not good faith. I think the agreement hasn't been upheld, so Celtic rightly have to defend their supporters and their club and sadly the Rangers supporters miss out on this game and Celtic in the return game. But let's hope that after that we can then find a way to get supporters in.”

Rangers manager Philippe Clement is keen to see the return of Old Firm away fans. | SNS Group

Rodgers’ comments followed a statement issued by Celtic, which read: “Across a number of months, Celtic has completed all necessary works with regard to accommodating away supporters for derby matches. Without a guarantee that our supporters could attend Ibrox in January, however, unfortunately we were not in a position to allocate tickets to away supporters at Celtic Park for the forthcoming match in September. We will continue to engage with all parties to seek a satisfactory solution.”

Rangers published a statement of their own earlier this week insisting they had been "taking all steps" to ensure they could host Celtic supporters for the New Year clash. Boss Philippe Clement also briefly addressed the matter in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier Sports Cup last 16 tie against St Johnstone.

Clement said: ”I hope for football games always there are two sets of fans, it is always better for the product and the players. For us, we adapt and control the things we can control.”