Rangers legend and former Ibrox manager Ally McCoist has urged his old club and rivals Celtic to reconsider cutting allocations for away sides at Old Firm matches.
The former Rangers striker – who remains the club’s greatest-ever goalscorer – was talking after Rangers cut Celtic’s allocation by 90% last season to encourage season ticket sales.
The plan worked and Rangers earned record sales, but McCoist still believes it is time to reconsider increasing allocation to 8000 in order to get the most out of the famous derby match.
“I haven’t been to Parkhead for an Old Firm recently but I have been to Ibrox when Celtic only had 800,” said McCoist [talkSPORT].
“But then I went to the league cup final when Celtic won, the stadium was split and the atmosphere was just brilliant, you realised what you were missing.
“The atmosphere as you can still imagine for the home team with the vast majority of fans is good, but when the away section have a good support the atmosphere is fantastic.
“I don’t really know how it started it was probably a bit tit-for-tat.
“I know Rangers I think were not too happy with the supporters getting stuck down the corner with maybe an obstructed view. It then led on one thing to the next thing.
“It doesn’t matter how it started, but it needs to end that’s what it needs to do.
“When we get back playing football hopefully in the foreseeable future they can get it sorted.
“There’s something about the away fans, listen the home fans we love, the supporters who are loyal. But the away fans that travel always in my football career and memories, always make some noise.”
The cut of the allocation initially worked out in Rangers favour on the pitch too, with the Ibrox club beating Celtic 1-0 at Ibrox in the club’s first match with the reduced allocation.
McCoist also makes an excellent point here – when both sides were afforded 8k Rangers were squished into the corner at Parkhead with many in restricted view seats.
At Ibrox, Celtic were given an entire stand.
As it currently stands Dave King has previously talked about having “no intention” to revert back to increased allocation for away supporters and it remains unlikely to change.
McCoist has also been in the press this week for urging players to consider taking a wage cut like his Rangers team did in 2012 in order to save staff [talkSPORT].
