Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers says Old Firm away fan lockout is 'a Rangers thing'
Celtic and Rangers had agreed a five per cent allocation for visiting supporters would return this season; there will now be no away fans at games on September 1 & January 2, both live on Sky Sports; SPFL confirms travelling supporters will return from the third league meeting in March
Friday 16 August 2024 16:25, UK
Brendan Rodgers insists Rangers are to blame for away fans being locked out of Old Firm games, claiming Celtic have been "dragged into it".
There will be no visiting supporters at the first two league derbies of this season despite a deal being struck in March for this campaign.
An allocation of around five per cent was due to be in place ahead of the first Old Firm game at Celtic Park in September - live on Sky Sports - provided necessary requirements were met at both stadiums.
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Celtic have said without a guarantee their fans could attend Ibrox in January, they were unable to issue away tickets for their home fixture.
"The club's job is to protect the support and if there's not the guarantee that come the second fixture [Celtic fans will be admitted] then I think it's only logical that you wouldn't reciprocate," Rodgers said.
"Celtic have played their part in what they were asked to do. Nothing of this was Celtic's issue, nothing. When you go back to when all this was started it's nothing to do with Celtic.
"Celtic gets dragged into this here as being a Celtic-Rangers thing. It's not a Celtic-Rangers thing, this is a Rangers thing.
"Celtic are asked to have this agreement to make the stadium safe, we plough money into that and we do the work which started months ago. On both parties that hasn't been agreed. It's not complicated, it hasn't been done.
"It's not great faith if we allow Rangers supporters in then we get to January and our own supporters can't get in.
"The agreement hasn't been upheld so Celtic rightly have to defend their supporters and the club, and sadly the Rangers supporters miss out on this game and Celtic in the return game.
"Let's hope after that we can find a way to get the supporters in."
It is understood Rangers are confident they would have completed the required works ahead of the clash at Ibrox on January 2.
Philippe Clement's side are currently playing at Hampden Park due to a delay to works on their Copland Road Stand at Ibrox.
When asked about their upcoming trip to Celtic Park, the Rangers manager said: "I'm not involved in these talks but I hope for football games always that there are two sets of fans.
"There are some things from the past but I don't know all the details so I'm not the right person to ask or the right person to ask if it was possible now.
"I like to see football where on two sides there are fans, it's always better for the product and the players for everybody."
Celtic and Rangers' third league meeting is scheduled for March 15 at Celtic Park, and the SPFL confirmed from that date onwards both clubs will provide "ticket allocations of around five per cent of respective stadium capacity for away supporters" and added, "this remains subject to all necessary requirements being satisfied at both Ibrox and Celtic Park."
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