It has become one of the great Scottish football sagas. Like the other classics of the genre – be it league reconstruction, summer football or B Teams – there appears to be no end in sight.
Those particular topics have been discussed and debated for longer than many wish to remember and the latest addition to the list shows no sign of reaching a conclusion either as Rangers and Celtic continue their away ticket stand-off.
In time, a consensus may well be reached on the makeup of the SPFL structure, the football calendar in this country or the best way forward for youth development. It is hard, though, to see how the current Old Firm predicament is solved.
As soon as Rangers made the decision to cut Celtic’s allocation for the derby clashes at Ibrox, it was inevitable that we would end up in this position. Celtic, as expected and quite rightly, soon followed and the matter remains in limbo just weeks ahead of the first meeting of the season.
Rangers will make around 700 tickets available to Celtic for away supporters for the Premiership fixture on Sunday, September 3. As it stands, the offer looks set to be rejected as the Parkhead hierarchy continue to voice their concerns over the safety of their fans and the access arrangements for matches at Ibrox.
An agreement between the clubs in March ruled that there would be no away supporters given access to Parkhead or Ibrox for the final two Premiership meetings of the campaign but the situation is different this time around and it remains to be seen how both sides of the divide play their hand.
Rangers will expect that their fans are given an allocation for the Parkhead fixture in December regardless of whether Celtic take up the offer of briefs for the first Old Firm of the season.
That stance was confirmed by an Ibrox source on Thursday evening and is backed up by SPFL Rules relating to away fans at league matches.
SPFL Rule I27 states: ‘The Home club must make provision for the admission of such reasonable number of visiting supporters at every home League Match and Play-Off Match as may be agreed in advance with the Visiting Club and, in the event of their being unable to agree such number not later than 14 days prior to the date of the League Match or Play-Off Match in question, the number of visiting supporters allowed shall be determined by the Board whose decision shall be final and binding’.
As ever, it will come down to interpretation. Rule I28 reads: ‘A section of the ground must be reserved for supporters of the Visiting Club and any tickets for League Matches and Play-Off Matches must be distributed on that basis. Details of these arrangements should be publicised by the Clubs concerned in advance’.
Further discussions between the clubs should find a compromise and common ground to solve the security and access issues that have plagued fans at both Ibrox and Parkhead in recent seasons. Those problems can surely be worked around.
But the bigger point in play will be more complicated to address. In truth, it is one that may never will be. I is hard to see how the famous fixture will ever again have away supports that are several thousand strong and even a move towards a European structure seems some way off right now.
From financial and fan relations perspectives, neither club will want to blink first. Significant sums are being banked by selling extra season tickets every term and those who are content with the status quo, or who wish no away fans at all, will not stand for a return to the previous arrangements.
But those in that particular camp overlook the wishes and desires of their fellow fan. For some, the days going behind enemy lines to support their team are the best of the season and seeing their side win on the road carries an extra emotional satisfaction.
Yes, the added backing at home can make a difference. But the chance to silence thousands with an away day win is one that every manager, player and fan should savour and the culture of Scottish football is in danger of being changed beyond recognition as crowds become more partisan.
The sight and sound of large away followings so often make for the best occasions in our game. Yet those times will become fewer and fewer as allocations for travelling fans are reduced and supporters’ clubs and associations fight for their survival.
Clubs are perfectly entitled to look after their own first. If home supporters can fill the seats on a weekly basis, it would be folly for boards to turn them away and turn down the chance to create a more intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams.
It is sad, though, that it must come at as great a cost as away briefs for Ibrox and Parkhead, plus the likes of Tynecastle, Pittodrie and Easter Road, become harder to get a hold of for ordinary punters. It is a Catch-22 situation and one where the direction of travel is now set, certainly in terms of the current stand-off between the Old Firm.
The elements that make that particular fixture as unique and compelling are diluted when the stands are only filled with the one colour. As a game, an occasion and a spectacle, it cannot be argued that the reduction in away supports has been for the better.
That will not be a concern to the directors that are making the decisions. It should be for those in control at Hampden but the League are never going to weigh in to an issue as delicate and complicated, no matter the impact it has on how Scottish football looks and sounds to the world.
Some of the great sagas of our time could yet be solved. This one could reach a partial resolution, but the Old Firm will not be going back to the future any time soon.
