CELTIC could go a COMPLETE YEAR without a game against Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox side.
Their fourth meeting this season was due in Govan on Sunday March 15, but, of course, was cancelled a few days earlier when football went into cold storage due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Neil Lennon’s side had won 2-0 in the first Premiership meeting of the term at the same venue in September and followed that up with their Betfred League Cup Final victory at Hampden on December 8.
However, a sloppy Hoops side lost to the Ibrox outfit for the first time in nine years in the east end of Glasgow on December 29.
Now there are plans for the clubs’ next meetings to be played in 2021 as part of a shuffle to the Scottish football calendar, according to a report in the Scottish Sun on Sunday.
HOORAY HAMPDEN…Christopher Jullien sidefoots the Betfred League Cup winner in December.
SPFL chiefs are allegedly considering a host of changes as they consider how the new season will look after lockdown.
One of the proposals being discussed is to delay all four Premiership Glasgow derbies until after the New Year to avoid playing them behind closed doors.
It’s understood the idea has the support of clubs, according to the newspaper.
And Sky TV, whose new £125million contract kicks in next term, would also rubber-stamp the proposal.
Football supremos are hoping for Government rules about large public gatherings to be relaxed next year.
The bold plan is set to be raised again at high-level meetings which are scheduled for the next few days.
Before that, though, there will have to be a final decision has been taken on relegated Hearts’ league reconstruction plan.
CRUNCH…Jeremie Frimpong takes on the challenging Borna Barisic.
It comes after SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell insisted it is “achievable” for football to get underway again in August.
He said: “We are working through a three-stage plan, similar to the approach the government has taken.
“It will start with a return to training, then a return to matches, then a return to spectators being allowed into stadiums at some point.
“There is a four-to-six week training schedule which the medical group are working through.
“And I think that it IS likely we will see football in August.”
