Document shows Rangers...to Glasgow City Council for...

Document shows Rangers…to Glasgow City Council for permission to install Celtic…Read More

Rangers Football Club has officially applied to Glasgow City Council for planning permission to install safety nets at Ibrox Stadium for high-risk fixtures, such as the Old Firm games against Celtic. The application was submitted this week and is a significant step in resolving a longstanding dispute between Rangers and Celtic regarding the presence of away fans at these high-profile matches.

The planning application, which is listed on the ‘Building Standards’ section of Glasgow City Council’s website, details the installation of a “demountable safety netting system” to be placed between the Broomloan and Govan stands, separating home and away supporters. The address attached to the application is Ibrox Stadium, 150 Edmiston Drive, Glasgow, G51 2XD, and the status of the application is currently marked as ‘Pending Consideration.’

This development is crucial as it addresses a major issue in the ongoing negotiations between the two Glasgow giants over the return of away fans for Old Firm fixtures. The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) had brokered an agreement for away fans to return to these matches, with Celtic fans expected to be back at Ibrox in January 2025.

However, the situation had become complicated as Celtic expressed concerns over Rangers’ ability to guarantee that the necessary safety measures would be in place in time for the January fixture. Celtic cited the uncertainty surrounding Rangers’ ability to complete the required stadium modifications, including the installation of safety nets, as a reason for their reluctance to agree to the return of away fans at Ibrox.

Celtic’s position on the matter was backed by their manager, Brendan Rodgers, who emphasized that the issue was entirely a Rangers problem. In an interview, Rodgers stated, “This is not a Celtic-Rangers thing; this is a Rangers issue. Celtic has fulfilled its part of the agreement by investing in the necessary safety measures at Celtic Park. It’s only logical that without a guarantee from Rangers that the required work will be completed, Celtic would not reciprocate by allowing Rangers fans into our stadium.”

Rodgers added that Celtic had already started work on safety improvements at Celtic Park months ago, showing their commitment to ensuring a safe environment for both sets of fans. He also highlighted that Celtic had invested significant funds into making their stadium compliant with the safety requirements outlined in the agreement with Rangers and the SPFL.

The delay in Rangers’ ability to install the safety nets was reportedly due to waiting for the final shipments of steel necessary for the project. This led to speculation that the January Old Firm match could potentially be relocated to Hampden Park if the work at Ibrox was not completed in time. However, the successful arrival of the required materials has allowed Rangers to move forward with the necessary stadium modifications.

Despite this progress, the first two Old Firm matches of the season, including the September 1 fixture at Celtic Park, will still take place without away fans. This continuation of the fans’ lockout is a result of the uncertainty surrounding Rangers’ ability to complete the required work before the January fixture.

However, there is optimism that the situation will be resolved in time for the final two Old Firm matches of the season. It is believed that ‘European allocations’ of around 5% of the stadium’s capacity will be reinstated for these games, allowing a limited number of away fans to attend. The final Old Firm match of the season, which will take place at Ibrox after the league split, is expected to be the first game to see the return of Celtic supporters to Govan under the revised safety arrangements.

This latest development marks a significant step towards resolving the contentious issue of away fan attendance at Old Firm matches. With Rangers’ application now submitted, all eyes will be on Glasgow City Council as the club awaits approval to proceed with the installation of the safety nets. If approved, it could finally put an end to the dispute and allow both sets of fans to attend one of the most iconic fixtures in world football once again.