Brendan Rodgers and Barry Ferguson both hope the restoration of away allocations by Celtic and Rangers is the first step towards returning to more substantial visiting supports for derby games.
Both clubs confirmed earlier that a deal to provide about four per cent of tickets to the opposition would be in place for Rangers’ visit to Celtic Park on March 16 and the subsequent meeting at Ibrox.
The deal was brokered by the Scottish Professional Football League about 12 months ago but the lock-out of away fans continued for the first two Old Firm fixtures this season after Celtic felt Rangers had not met safety work requirements by the agreed time.
Rodgers welcomed the news and said: “It’s a big part of the fixture. Having been involved in it with the supporters there, both home and away, and then obviously them being taken away, then it does make a difference.
“So it’s great for everyone. Great for the game, great for the spectacle of the game, and obviously ultimately for the supporters. They get the chance to see their team, which is great.
“Football, as we know, is about the rivalry and there’s arguably no greater rivalry than Celtic vs Rangers in world football.
“There’s many great derbies of course, but this one being the exceptional one. I think it’s just good to have both sets of supporters in and I think for the game itself it always adds to the spectacle.”
Rangers interim head coach Ferguson said: “It’ll be good that the fans will be at Celtic Park. I’ve always said it’s something that the fixtures miss.
“In an ideal situation, it would be great if there was more. The way it is, the way it’s happened, the number of tickets we are getting, I’m just glad that away supporters are allowed back.
“In time, we’ll wait and see but at least it’s a start.”
Disagreements over away allocations surfaced in 2018 when Rangers tore up the long-standing convention that saw about 7,500 fans travel across the city on derby days and reduced that figure to around 10 per cent of that total. Inevitably, Celtic followed suit.
The situation developed that neither club accepted tickets for each other’s grounds for safety reasons until this deal was struck.
When asked about the prospect of a further increase in allocations, Rodgers said: “Well, we just have to get supporters back in the stadiums again. That was the start point, and then hopefully it can get somewhere near to where it was before, because that always creates an amazing atmosphere.”
