Partick Thistle have given their supporters a big decision to make ahead of their Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Celtic at Firhill, set for the weekend of September 20/21.

The club has laid out two options for ticket allocations and asked their fans to vote on which one they prefer. It’s a rare situation where the home crowd gets to decide how many tickets to give the away support.

Celtic fans are no strangers to big away crowds, and this vote could open the door to another strong turnout. But there’s more to it than just backing from the stands. Partick are also weighing up the financial benefit. After making budget cuts, the potential boost from giving more tickets to Celtic is tempting, even if it means fewer home fans in the ground.

Under the first option, Partick would keep most of the seats for themselves. Around 8,000 briefs would be available to home fans across their usual stands, with Celtic receiving just 2,000 for the Colin Weir Stand. That would give the Jags a clear home backing.

Option two is the opposite. Just under 4,000 seats would be set aside for Partick supporters in the Colin Weir and John Lambie Stands, while Celtic would be given nearly 6,000 for the Jackie Husband Stand. That would turn the away end into a wall of green and white.

A Thistle statement read: “Our forthcoming Premier Sports Cup quarter-final with Celtic in September presents us with an exciting home fixture against Premiership opposition.

“But it also requires us, as a fan-owned club, to work together to decide on how to maximise the potential opportunities it provides us, both in sporting and financial terms.

“Previous games against Celtic have seen us house their supporters in the Jackie Husband Stand, and on occasion, also the John Lambie Stand.

“These decisions were taken to maximise ticket sales and to reduce stewarding and policing challenges.

“To give additional recent context, an average of 4,900 Thistle fans were in attendance across our two play-off matches last season.

“Under Option Two, allocating the maximum 3,950 tickets to our fans in the Colin Weir and John Lambie Stands allows us to sell out the Jackie Husband Stand to visiting supporters, maximising revenue while giving us a target to fill our home sections.

“By contrast, if we used both the Jackie Husband and John Lambie Stands for home fans but still sold only 3,950 home tickets, revenue would fall by around 40%, leaving just under 2,000 empty seats in home sections.

“Each additional unsold home seat would further increase the revenue gap between the two options.

“The consideration, therefore, is whether we believe we can sell 7,850 tickets ourselves, and be comfortable with making less money if there are unsold seats, or if the best option is to target 3,950 home sales and still have two stands full of our supporters.”

Celtic supporters will see this vote in a very different way. Getting nearly 6,000 tickets in one stand is a rare chance, especially for a big cup game like this. It’s not often you get the run of a whole stand, and the travelling support would likely jump at the chance to fill it with green and white.

From a fan’s point of view, Option Two seems like the obvious pick. It’s not just about numbers either. A full away end means more noise, more backing, and a stronger presence that can lift the players and put pressure on the opposition. On the day, Firhill could feel more like an away version of Celtic Park.

But there’s also the matter of fairness and what it means for the home team. Many Partick fans won’t like the idea of giving up a big chunk of their stadium. Football means a lot to local supporters, and giving most of the seats to the away team can feel like giving up part of that. That’s the balance Partick are trying to find.

Whatever Celtic fans might hope for, the final say lies with Thistle supporters. If they go for Option Two, the away end will be bouncing in September and Celtic could enjoy a big turnout at a crucial stage in the cup.