Barry Ferguson believes Rangers supporters may not be permitted into Celtic Park for the final derby of the season if things remain unchanged. The former Rangers captain made the remark while discussing the fallout from the chaotic scenes at Ibrox during the Scottish Cup quarter-final, where Celtic progressed on penalties.
The tie finished 0–0 after 120 minutes before Celtic kept their composure in the shootout to reach the semi-final. The disorder that followed the decisive penalty has sparked renewed debate about away allocations for future meetings between the Glasgow rivals.
The final league meeting between the sides is expected to take place after the split at Celtic Park. With both teams still pursuing points at the top end of the table and difficult fixtures still to come against the other top-six sides, that match could arrive at a tense stage of the run-in.
Celtic have not said anything publicly about away supporters for that game. There has been no official statement from the club regarding ticket allocations. Ferguson’s comments were made before either club has confirmed what the arrangements will be.
He said: (Five Stars Podcast), “Well certainly, none of our fans will be in. That’s the way it’s looking. You need to wait and see the statements from both clubs.
“But I think there’ll be 62,000 Celtic fans. You won’t have any fans of your own, which is disappointing. But listen, it is what it is. You’ve still got to go to Celtic Park and Tynecastle, so there’s some tough fixtures coming up.
“I try not to look too far ahead. You can’t let your mind wander after a disappointing couple of weeks. We just need to focus on what’s coming up at the weekend.”
If the match at Celtic Park ends up being played without any away supporters, it will feel very different from the last two meetings at Ibrox. In the recent cup game, Celtic had thousands of supporters packed into the away end, which was the first time in years that the larger allocations had returned.
A full home crowd at Celtic Park would favour Celtic. The team is accustomed to playing with the stadium behind them, and visiting sides often feel that pressure once the game settles.
For Celtic, the focus will be on making the most of the home advantage if that game arrives with the title still up for grabs. A full Celtic Park crowd would be firmly backing the team, the same support they’ve relied on throughout the campaign.
Playing there has often allowed Celtic to control the tempo early, with visiting sides forced to defend deeper once the pressure builds. If the derby lands at a crucial stage of the run-in, the environment at Celtic Park could play its part.
For now though, nothing has been confirmed. Celtic have made no announcement on ticket allocations, and the situation around away supporters for that match remains unresolved.