Martin O’Neill expresses deep concern that the recent increase in away fan allocations for Celtic and Rangers matches could be reversed following chaotic scenes at Ibrox.
Post-Match Disorder at Ibrox
Celtic advanced in the Scottish Cup quarter-final via penalties against Rangers on Sunday, but the celebration turned ugly as fans invaded the pitch. Authorities reported nine arrests by Monday. This marked the first Old Firm derby since 2018 with approximately 7,500 away supporters, a significant jump from recent allocations of 800, 2,500, or none at all.
The larger crowd stemmed from Scottish Cup regulations. Recent cup clashes between the teams occurred as semi-finals or finals at Hampden Park. In the prior league encounter at Ibrox—a 2-2 draw—about 2,500 Celtic fans attended out of 50,000 spectators. Rangers face another trip to Celtic Park’s 60,000-capacity stadium later this season, where nearly 2,400 Rangers supporters showed up in January.
O’Neill’s Advocacy for Full Away Support
The former Celtic manager, who led the club from 2000 to 2005 and secured seven trophies including three league titles, championed restoring full away allocations. “I was a really big advocate of feeling that without away fans, without the full allocation of away fans, the Old Firm game had lost some of its lustre,” O’Neill stated.
He praised the electric atmosphere at recent derbies. “The noise emanating from Ibrox, both last Sunday and the Sunday before that—even with only 2,500 people—was something I have not heard for a long, long time. Maybe Celtic playing Liverpool back in 2003 was comparable,” he added. O’Neill described the experience as “really magical” but voiced regret over the incidents, calling them a “shame” that might end such vibrant occasions.
Balancing Atmosphere and Security
Allocations during O’Neill’s tenure mirrored Sunday’s numbers, fostering intense rivalries. “There was nothing like the atmosphere at a hostile Ibrox, where you get some sort of intoxicated joy from it,” he noted. While acknowledging policing challenges for 7,000 fans, O’Neill urged a review to preserve the game’s unique energy. “Something would be seriously lost again if that atmosphere throughout the game is anything to go by,” he concluded.
