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'Away allocations will do well to survive this'
TL;DR
Celtic is refusing to provide Rangers tickets for the upcoming derby unless the Union Bears group is excluded. The SPFL will decide on this contentious issue amid recent disorder during a match.
Key points
- Celtic refuses to give Rangers tickets for the derby
- Union Bears group must be excluded for ticket allocation
- Disorder occurred during the Scottish Cup quarter-final
- SPFL will decide on the ticket allocation issue
- Concerns about the future of away allocations
Will the latest Old Firm ticket row signal the end of away allocations in the fixture?
The SPFL are this week due to decide whether to uphold Celtic's refusal to give Rangers tickets for the derby at Parkhead on 10 May unless the Union Bears ultras group is excluded.
The row comes in the aftermath of disorder at the Scottish Cup quarter-final on 8 March when spectators from both clubs entered the pitch after Celtic won on penalties at Ibrox.
It is an issue "so toxic" that the league sub-committee responsible for the adjudication should be "wearing hazmat suits", says The Herald football writer Stephen McGowan.
Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, he added: "You fear for away allocations as we know them at the moment, I think they'll do well to survive us.
"The SFA are having an independent inquiry at the moment where they will try and pin exactly where responsibility should be attributed for what happened on 8 March.
"They will make their findings known probably in the summer, the problem is they've got a game at Parkhead to get to before then on 10 May, and basically this comes down to a dispute between the two teams on how you should handle the Ultra problem.
"Celtic think, as they've shown - they banned the Green Brigade for five months - it should be collective punishment, you should hit them en masse. Rangers take the view it should be more of an individual thing. Celtic clearly think Rangers have been a bit weak on this issue.
"Rangers say no, they can't lay down the law to us on who we can sell tickets to. It's the eternal story of football in Glasgow, it's two bitter rivals who will not yield to one another.
"It's going to be to some poor souls on the SPFL board to decide who's right and who gets their way over this.
"I think if the SPFL uphold this Celtic stance then Rangers absolutely will reciprocate and that would be regrettable.
"But equally if we see that the police are struggling to deal with large-scale allocations, it might be unavoidable in the long term, it might well be the way we have to go just to try and kind of cool minds and bring some sanity back to the situation."
[BBC]
Q&A
What is the reason for Celtic's refusal to give Rangers tickets?
Celtic's refusal is contingent upon the exclusion of the Union Bears ultras group due to recent disorder at a match.
What incident prompted the current ticket allocation dispute?
The dispute follows a pitch invasion by spectators from both clubs after Celtic's victory in the Scottish Cup quarter-final on March 8.
What are the potential consequences for away allocations in Scottish football?
The ongoing row may threaten the future of away allocations, with concerns that they may not survive in their current form.
