Former Celtic star Mark Wilson claims it is “only fair” Rangers are offered 700 briefs at Parkhead after our Old Firm rivals turned down a ticket allocation at Ibrox.
The former Parkhead right-back was talking after news broke regarding Celtic’s decision to turn down Rangers’ offer of a standard away allocation.
Speaking on Clyde Superscoreboard, Mark Wilson believes that whilst it is firmly in Celtic’s rights to reject the offer of tickets from Rangers, the Parkhead side should be obliged to return the offer.
It is then on Rangers to decide how they want to progress with the bulk of Ibrox fans in full support of sending 700 of their own to Glasgow’s eastend.
“I think when you look on social media there’s a huge volume of Celtic fans that have encouraged Celtic to reject the tickets,” Wilson said.
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“And they’ve been quite happy to do so. I don’t think we’re ever going to get back to a fair system until we’re back to our allocation pre-2019 where it was 8000 Celtic fans and similar at Celtic Park with Rangers fans.
“But that takes a lot of planning because of the season tickets that go out, Rangers fans have obviously got their season tickets for that stand and Celtic fans vice verse.
“There’s been an offer there, Celtic’s rejected it. I think it’s only fair that they put the same offer to Rangers.”
Celtic turn down Rangers ticket allocation offer
The comments come amid a high-profile row regarding the Old Firm ticket allocations, with Rangers taking the decision to reduce Celtic’s 7000-strong allocation in 2019.
According to Sky Sports, Celtic have cited safety concerns as their main reason for turning down the briefs but there is a sizeable sentiment the decision also concerns Parkhead fan frustrations over the ticket reductions.
Celtic were initially given the entire Broomloan Stand for matches against Rangers at Ibrox but are now offered the same amount of briefs in the corner of the stadium as other visiting SPFL clubs.
This has been met with fury by sections of the Celtic support and the Parkhead side have now opted to refuse the tickets offered to them by Rangers.
Under SPFL rules Celtic must offer Rangers the same allocation and there is nothing to suggest that the Ibrox side wouldn’t take the briefs.
This comes after the final two Old Firm league games of last season were played in front of only home fans after an agreement was struck between the two clubs.
Rangers have been clear that there will likely be no return to the old allocation system and that decision is somewhat polarising in the Ibrox support.
But the biggest issues appear to lie with the Celtic support who, whilst used to getting it all their own way in Scotland, are going to have to find a way to swallow Rangers’ decision.
After all, it is their side who are going into these matches without representation and there will surely be hell to pay if it backfires this season.
It means that as things stand, there will be no Celtic fans in Ibrox stadium for the upcoming Old Firm clash with Rangers on 3rd September.
Rangers are however expecting an allocation when they visit Celtic Park on the 30th of December.
Not just Rangers & Celtic at centre of stadium reshuffles
Frustrations and conversations around ticket allocations are not unique to Rangers and Celtic in Scotland as the nation’s game undergoes a dramatic shift in this regard.
Both sides of the Old Firm are now increasingly used to their allocations being slashed at grounds across the country after traditionally filling out away stadiums.
Hibs kickstarted the trend by reducing Rangers’ allocation back in 2018 and since then the likes of Kilmarnock, Hearts and Aberdeen have followed suit.
It is clear that the situation has disgruntled Celtic more than any other side in Scotland but as things stand, they continue to flog a dead horse.
For Rangers, Celtic or any of the teams in the Scottish Premiership, it is clear things will not be going back to the way they were before and perhaps it’s time for the SPFL to thrash out an agreement.