Celtic captain Callum McGregor has welcomed the decision to end the away fan lockout at Glasgow Derby matches, calling it a “positive step forward” for the fixture.
It was confirmed that both clubs have agreed to restore away allocations to around 4% of saleable capacity, meaning that over 2,000 away fans will be present at both Celtic Park on March 16 and Ibrox later this season. This marks a significant change from the 800-900 tickets allocated in recent years after Rangers drastically reduced Celtic’s allocation in 2018.
The derby has been played without any away fans in recent meetings due to security concerns and disputes over ticketing. However, both clubs have now found a compromise to restore some of the spectacle that had been lost.
McGregor, who has played in every iteration of the fixture, believes this move will improve the occasion for both players and supporters. Speaking about the decision, he said: [Celtic TV]
“Yeah, well it’s a step forward from where we’ve been, so again it’ll add to the atmosphere of the game and everything else. So I think it’s a positive step forward and let’s hope that the experience is a good one and then we can see where we can get to with that. But for sure I think it’s always better when there’s both sets and supporters in the stadium.”
The decision comes at a crucial time in the title race, with Celtic currently holding a 13-point lead over Rangers and are five games away from clinching the league title.
While the league could be all but decided by the time the two sides meet at Ibrox, the return of away fans should ensure a more electric atmosphere than in recent meetings.
