Rangers icons Barry Ferguson and Ian Durrant have expressed their fury regarding Celtic’s current position on away fan allocations for the upcoming Glasgow Derby.
The controversy ignited last week when it became clear that Celtic is demanding the exclusion of the Union Bears from the Rangers travelling support. Due to the Ibrox club’s refusal to accept this specific condition, the current outlook suggests that no Rangers supporters will be present at Celtic Park for the match.
Ferguson and Durrant Voice Frustration
Speaking on the Five Stars VIP Podcast, Barry Ferguson emphasized that an agreement for a 2,500-ticket allocation should be honored. He stated that he would be “absolutely raging” if the tickets are not delivered, noting that the rules should be straightforward.
Ian Durrant echoed these sentiments, labeling the situation “ridiculous.” He criticized the requirement for fans to essentially disavow membership in a specific supporters group to secure a seat. Durrant highlighted the irony of the situation, pointing out that Rangers previously accommodated 7,500 Celtic fans at Ibrox. He described the inability of the Parkhead club to return the gesture as “quite sad.”
Security Concerns and Previous Incidents
The dispute follows a volatile derby at Ibrox where members of the Union Bears entered the pitch wearing balaclavas and targeted Celtic fans with projectiles. During that chaos, a member of the Celtic staff was also assaulted.
While Celtic’s concerns center on these safety breaches, others point out that Celtic’s own ultras, the Green Brigade, are expected to attend the match without similar restrictions. This creates a complex debate, especially since some of the violence in previous fixtures involved individuals not officially affiliated with either organized fan group.
Next Steps for the SPFL
An SPFL sub-committee is scheduled to meet this Thursday to mediate the dispute. A final decision on the official ticket allocation is expected shortly after that meeting. In the previous Scottish Cup meeting, Celtic received the entire Broomloan Stand at Ibrox per competition rules, making the current lack of away fans at Celtic Park a significant point of contention for those hoping to maintain the atmosphere of the historic rivalry.