MARTIN O’NEILL reckons the ban on away fans at Glasgow derbies was “inevitable”.
The Celtic manager was reacting to the news from the SPFL that travelling supporters will be absent from this season’s four Premiership fixtures.
The champions also rejected the derisory offer from the Govan club of 300 tickets for Hoops followers for the Premier Sports League Cup quarter-final at Ibrox a week on Sunday.
O’Neill had previously expressed his disappointment at the miserly proposal from Celtic’s city rivals.
The veteran team chief said: “I think that was inevitable, really, after Rangers were offering 300 tickets, and I think we refused that.
“And I believe it was just inevitable that that’s the decision that the powers-that-be would make, eventually or make for them.
“Really sad, I must admit, from a normal punter’s viewpoint.”
Asked if the current situation could lead to a permanent absence of away fans, O’Neill, speaking to CelticPlayer, answered: “Hopefully, that won’t happen at some stage or another.
“Maybe we might all see some sort of sense and see that this particular fixture, which is one of the greats in European football, if not the world.
“I keep saying this regardless of the calibre of the teams playing in the game.
“It’s a great, great fixture and it loses a great deal with the big allocation of away fans not being in the stadium.”
O’Neill added: “How will it get resolved?
“I think hopefully the two clubs will maybe get together at some stage or another and try to iron out particular problems.
Images courtesy CelticPlayer.
“I mean, it’s not to say that we haven’t had a few problems in the past, but they seem to have escalated over the last number of seasons, which is a problem.”
The SPFL made the announcement in the aftermath of the chaos following Celtic’s penalty-kick shoot-out success in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox in March.
There were violent scenes between fans on the pitch and both clubs were informed their next Scottish Cup home game would be played in empty stadiums and they were also ordered to pay the visiting club £100,000 to cover lost revenue.
The first Premiership meeting of the teams is due at Parkhead a fortnight on Sunday and will be played without away fans.
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