Rangers chief: Large away support at Old Firm game unlikely to return

Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson doesn’t foresee a return of a large away support to games against Celtic, and thinks the “vast majority” of supporters of the Ibrox club are happy with the situation.

Traditionally, the Old Firm derbies were played in front of a full house including more than 5000 away fans at either Ibrox or Celtic Park.

That changed in 2018 when Rangers cut their rivals’ allocation to just 800 supporters, saying they were prioritising their own fans’ demand for tickets, and Celtic quickly reciprocated.

Robertson thinks the situation is unlikely to change in the future because season tickets have now been sold in areas that would once have been for opposition fans.

“I think things have evolved over time,” he told The Athletic. “About 800 fans from either side now go to games.

“The challenge is changing that at the moment because both teams have sold season tickets in those areas and actually it is ‘how do you change that back?’

“Those supporters have renewal rights so it is not something I see changing in the short term.”

There has been criticism of the stance from some, who believe that the famous atmosphere at the derbies has been affected by the lowering of the allocation but Robertson says his impression is that most Rangers fans support the move.

He said: “The vast majority of our fans don’t want it to change, they are comfortable with it.

“I don’t know how it is on the other section of the city but certainly from our supporters’ perspective they are comfortable with it the way it is.

“The vast majority, I would be lying if I said everybody.”