Additional Rangers and Celtic Old Firm derby dates announced - as Colts' Lowland League fixtures revealed

Rangers and Celtic have learned of another two Old Firm derbies – after the B teams’ fixture lists were released for the forthcoming Lowland League season.
Rangers' Stephen Kelly competes with Stephen Welsh in 2019. (Picture: SNS)Rangers' Stephen Kelly competes with Stephen Welsh in 2019. (Picture: SNS)
Rangers' Stephen Kelly competes with Stephen Welsh in 2019. (Picture: SNS)

The controversial entry, on a one-year basis, of the two Glasgow clubs to the fifth tier has seen them included in games with the likes of East Stirlingshire, Bo’ness United and Spartans – but they will also face eachother twice over the course of the league campaign, creating two more Old Firm derbies next term.

Celtic kick off their league campaign away at Bonnyrigg Rose – one of the teams to oppose their admission to the division. The Midlothian club held a members’ vote but their opposition was not shared by their fellow clubs and the teams were admitted for the one-year pilot project.

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Rangers’ B team are at home for the season opener, and host Bo’ness United in Dumbarton on July 17. Both matches have 3pm starts, like all the first tranche of fixtures.

The campaign will end on April 16 – the same day as one of the Scottish Cup semi-finals – with Celtic at BSC Glasgow, now managed by Martin Hardie and ex-Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond. Rangers are scheduled to end hosting Gala Fairydean Rovers.

In between times the B-teams will also meet one another with the first Old Firm match of the season falling on July 31 when Celtic are the host side at Airdrie’s Penny Cars Stadium. The reverse fixture will be played on January 1, reprising the traditional Ne’erday match between the two.

Under terms of their Lowland league admission neither are eligible for promotion or relegation, regardless of their final league placing.

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