Rangers set to restore Celtic fans' ticket allocation for Old Firm match at Ibrox

Away fans are believed to be back in the Old Firm crowd after Rangers allocated 700 seats to Celtic fans for next month's Old Firm derby.

Celtic and Rangers fans are segregated during the Ladbrokes Premier match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on September 1, 2019, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Visiting fans were locked out of each of the derbies earlier this season with covid-related stadium restrictions cited as the cause for reducing attendances.

However now, with the majority of restrictions in Scotland being lifted, reports suggest there has been a further development with Old Firm away allocations.

The Glasgow Times reports Celtic “are in possession of a small number of tickets” for the match on April 3 with 700 tickets said to have been handed across the city. The Times adds that the Ibrox club have been given no indication that these tickets will be returned.

It would then be expected a reciprocal allocation would be granted for the fourth and final league encounter at Parkhead, which will take place after the cinch Premiership splits next month.

Away fans at the fixture has become a thorny subject for both sides of the Glasgow divide in recent years.

Celtic fans were previously housed in the Broomloan Road stand at Ibrox however Rangers cut their allocation in 2018 and moved their rivals fans into the smaller north-west corner usually used for visiting supporters. Celtic responded with a similarly reduced away allocation for Old Firm games at Celtic Park before this season’s home fans only policy was applied to the first matches between the sides at each ground this season.

The recent reports of an away fan return have yet to be confirmed by either club.

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