Celtic supporters are set to occupy the Broomloan Road end of Ibrox Stadium for the first time in eight years during next month's Scottish Cup quarter-final clash with Rangers. This significant development follows a week of intensive negotiations between both clubs and Police Scotland, resulting in an agreement that will permit approximately 7,500 away fans to attend the March 8 showdown.
Historic Agreement Reached After Police Talks
Although competition regulations allow visiting teams to claim up to 20 percent of a stadium's capacity, authorities reportedly would not sanction 10,000 Celtic fans in attendance. This decision stems from safety concerns, as many of those additional supporters would need to be seated in either the Bill Struth or Sandy Jardine Stands, which are adjacent to rival Rangers supporters.
Instead, Celtic will sell out the traditional away end, marking a return to the ticket allocation system that was in place prior to 2018. At that time, Rangers decided to restrict all visiting clubs to just 750 tickets, sparking a tit-for-tat dispute between the Old Firm rivals.
End of the Tit-for-Tat Dispute
This dispute led to several instances where no visiting fans were allowed at either ground for league matches. However, a recent agreement between the clubs has established that around five percent of the stadium will be allocated to away fans for Premiership games.
This means approximately 2,500 Celtic supporters will be present at Ibrox for the third league encounter of the season on March 1. An additional 5,000 tickets will now be granted for the cup match at the same venue just one week later.
Reciprocal Arrangement for Future Matches
As part of this landmark agreement, Rangers will be entitled to the same percentage of tickets for any future Scottish Cup match at Celtic Park, should they be drawn to play there. This reciprocal arrangement aims to restore balance and tradition to one of football's most intense rivalries.
Following the quarter-final draw, Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed his hope that his team's supporters would be represented at Ibrox in numbers reminiscent of his first spell in charge. "I've talked to a lot of people down south in my time living there and they think exactly the same thing - it would be fantastic to get it back," O'Neill stated.
He added, "I don't know the club stance but, if you take me out of the club for a minute, just being a Celtic supporter, we would want all the tickets we can get - the allocation that's available under the rules."
The return of Celtic fans to the Broomloan Road end represents a significant moment in Scottish football, ending an eight-year absence and potentially signaling a new era of cooperation between the two Glasgow giants.
