Celtic are experiencing sluggish ticket sales ahead of their pre-season fixtures, CeltsAreHere can exclusively reveal.

The Hoops got their summer schedule underway with a 1-0 win over Queen’s Park on Friday night, but interest in upcoming friendlies has been markedly low.

Brendan Rodgers is expected to welcome more senior players back into the fold for Tuesday’s clash with Cork City, yet that fixture has only broken even in terms of revenue, with tickets proving hard to shift, CeltsAreHere understands.

The pre-season calendar also includes a behind-closed-doors match against Estrela Da Amadora and a friendly against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. However, it’s the fixture back at Celtic Park – against Newcastle United – that has caused some issues among supporters.

With the match not included in the season ticket package, CeltsAreHere has learned that just around 30,000 tickets have been sold to date. Newcastle’s allocation has already been bumped up close to 10,000, with Celtic facing the real prospect of playing in front of a half-empty Parkhead.

The decision to exclude pre-season games from the season ticket has angered a section of the support, particularly given the rising costs already shouldered by fans.

In years gone by, Celtic fans were treated to home friendlies, European qualifiers and even a cup game as part of their season ticket package. That policy has quietly been phased out in recent years, and this summer’s solitary Parkhead fixture has instead been rebranded under the ‘Adidas Cup’ banner. It’s a move some see as an attempt to dress up what is effectively a routine pre-season bounce game.

While the club is marketing the tie with Newcastle as a marquee event, many fans aren’t buying into the hype, particularly when they remember getting similar fixtures included in their package not long ago.

With many spending in the region of £800 on season books, a 5% hike on last year, plus additional costs for European nights, away games and merchandise, the added charge for what’s seen as a glorified friendly has sparked frustration.

The current board appears to be rapidly burning through what little goodwill remains, even among long-time backers within the support. Patience is wearing thin, and this friendly has become the latest flashpoint.

While some defend the extra charge by insisting “you don’t have to go,” it seems many fans are taking that advice – voting with their feet and leaving thousands of seats unsold.

Celtic were approached for comment but have not yet responded.