St Johnstone becomes latest Premiership club to cut Celtic and Rangers away allocations

St Johnstone has become the latest Premiership club to cut away allocations to visiting Celtic and Rangers supporters.

The Perth side announced on Tuesday that they would be reducing the amount of tickets handed to the big two for league games.

It follows similar decisions made by the likes of top-flight rivals Hearts, Hibs and Kilmarnock with the Old Firm clubs also cutting each other’s allocations at their respective stadiums.

Over 4,000 seats have been set aside at McDiarmid Park for the Glasgow clubs in recent seasons, but that number will now be lessened for future games, starting with the game against Celtic on September 28.

New Saints owner Adam Webb says the move has been made in part to create a “fortress” when they play at home and urged fans to “turn out in force” to make the initiative a success.

Away supporters will be limited to the Ormond and North stands and one section of the Geoff Brown Stand, which is legally required to accommodate disabled seating.

New guidelines will also be revealed later this week to “ensure a safe and enjoyable environment” following “a series of unsavoury incidents at home and away”.

In a statement released on the club’s website, Webb said: “I wanted to take this opportunity to communicate directly with you about the important matters of matchday attendance and our plans moving forward for matches against Celtic and Rangers.

“Your unwavering support as part of our loyal fan base is the cornerstone of our success. With that in mind, I want to emphasise our commitment to making McDiarmid Park a true fortress for our team, particularly when hosting Celtic or Rangers. Historically, we have sometimes allocated the East Stand to visiting supporters and moved supporters to the Geoff Brown Stand.

“We have also allotted more seats than necessary in the Geoff Brown Stand to opposing fans. Under our new policies, to be announced later this week, opposing fans will be limited to the Ormond and North stands and one section of the Geoff Brown Stand which is legally required to accommodate disabled seating.

“For this initiative to be successful, we need you – our dedicated fans – to turn out in force. We understand that this requires a collective effort, and we are committed to making it as convenient as possible for you to attend.

“We are putting extra provisions and planning in place to enhance your matchday experience, including improvements in accessibility, safety, parking, and stadium services.

“Finally, in light of some recent unsavoury incidents both home and away, we have reviewed and updated our terms and conditions for accessing McDiarmid Park on matchdays.

“These updated guidelines are designed to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone. The new terms and conditions will be made available later this week. We encourage all fans to familiarise themselves with these changes.

“We value your input and are keen to ensure that any decisions we make are reflective of your needs and concerns. To this end, we will be gathering feedback through a working group, which will include fans and representatives from the club and the police.

“Your voice matters, and we encourage you to engage with this process to help us shape the future of our matchday experience.

“I want to thank you for your continued support and dedication to St Johnstone. Together, we can make McDiarmid Park a venue where every Saintee feels at home and where our opponents face the full force of our collective spirit.”