Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has voiced strong displeasure after Rangers confirmed his side would receive just 300 tickets for the upcoming League Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, suggesting the club would be better off turning down the allocation entirely.
The announcement came on the same day the Scottish FA revealed both Celtic and Rangers must play their next Scottish Cup home fixtures behind closed doors, a punishment stemming from crowd trouble following Celtic's penalty-shootout win at Ibrox in last season's Scottish Cup quarter-final. Roughly 8,000 away supporters had attended that match, a figure far exceeding the numbers typically present for recent Premiership derbies between the two clubs, given the differing ticketing arrangements for Scottish Cup fixtures.
Speaking after Celtic's 2-1 Premiership victory over Falkirk, O'Neill did not hide his frustration at the reduced allocation for the League Cup meeting. "We might as well not get any, if that's the case," he said. He went on to describe the fixture as one of football's great occasions, comparing its magnitude to European heavyweight clashes. "Even if the teams are not of the standard of, let's say, Paris St-Germain or Real Madrid, it is still a fantastic fixture," he explained, adding that the presence of a full away contingent is central to producing the electric atmosphere the match is renowned for. "So, that's a shame. But very obviously, if they're going to give us 300 tickets, I would rather say, 'no'. And we'll give them one."
The ticketing row emerged against a backdrop of simmering supporter frustration following Celtic's disappointing Champions League play-off elimination at the hands of LASK. That discontent was visible at Parkhead in the form of a banner reading "World Class Embarrassment," though O'Neill noted the overall reception from fans was considerably more forgiving than he had anticipated.
Celtic secured the points against Falkirk thanks to a brace from Camilo Duran, though an own goal from Colby Donovan set up a tense finish to the contest. O'Neill admitted the performance lacked polish but stressed the importance of the result. "As we got off the bus, the crowd actually cheered us, which was unexpected and something that we probably didn't deserve. I was really pleased," he said.
Midfielder Luke McCowan, who had faced criticism on social media following the Linz defeat, received a warm reception from supporters when introduced as a substitute. Former Celtic captain Scott Brown praised the backing McCowan received, contrasting genuine matchgoing fans with online critics. "I liked what they did when McCowan came on. They are the real fans, going to games, not sitting behind keyboards," Brown said. "It's disrespectful, that. Luke has had to delete his Instagram or Twitter and he shouldn't need to do that. It's part and parcel of football, having a good game and a bad game." Brown added that McCowan possesses the character to bounce back and had shown that quality in his cameo appearance.
Beyond the ticketing dispute, O'Neill is also focused on strengthening his squad before Thursday's 17:00 BST transfer deadline, with the LASK defeat exposing gaps in depth. "If we want to defend our title and get something in the Europa League we need a bit more strength in depth," he said. Left-back remains a particular concern, with Kieran Tierney—who sustained another knock against Falkirk, its severity yet to be determined—lacking a reliable alternative following Marcelo Saracchi's departure. Brown suggested the club may look to add both a left-back and a central defender, while also highlighting the void left by Arne Engels' move to West Ham. "I think they need a powerhouse in the middle of the park, especially in Europe," Brown said, noting the physical shortcomings exposed against LASK.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.