Rangers apply for Celtic...planning permission after...

Rangers apply for Celtic…planning permission after away fan U-turn. Read More

Rangers Football Club has applied for planning permission to install safety measures at Ibrox Stadium for Celtic visits, following ongoing controversy regarding the allocation of away fans at Old Firm matches. The issue has caused a considerable stir as the first two Glasgow derbies of the season will take place without any travelling supporters, despite initial agreements to allow limited away allocations.

Over recent years, Rangers and Celtic had locked out away fans from derbies altogether, but both clubs had recently come to an understanding that a small number of visiting supporters would be allowed at the fixtures. However, complications arose when Rangers found themselves temporarily displaced from Ibrox due to ongoing renovations at the Copland Road stand. As a result, they have been playing their home games at Hampden Park.

Without the necessary planning permission for safety measures, which include installing protective netting between the home and away sections of Ibrox, Celtic expressed concerns over the feasibility of allowing their fans to attend the January derby. Given the uncertainty, Celtic decided not to allocate any tickets to Rangers fans for the upcoming match at Celtic Park in September, citing the lack of a guarantee that the arrangement would be reciprocated.

This impasse means that the first two Old Firm derbies of the season will be played in front of home fans only. However, both clubs have agreed that once the necessary safety measures are in place, about five percent of each stadium will be allocated to visiting fans for future games.

Rangers have now taken steps to address the situation by submitting a planning application to Glasgow City Council. According to the council’s website, the application seeks permission to install “demountable safety netting” in the corner areas of the Broomloan and Govan stands at Ibrox, which would be deployed during high-risk fixtures like the Old Firm derby.

The ongoing renovation work at Ibrox has been a significant factor in this dispute. Rangers had initially experienced delays in the delivery of materials needed to complete improvements at the Copland Road stand. However, the club recently received the final pieces required for the renovations, and their construction team can now proceed with completing the work.

Rangers are hopeful that Ibrox will be ready to host matches again by the end of September. Their target is to return to their home ground in time for their Scottish Premiership match against Hibernian on September 28. There is even a possibility that Ibrox could be used for the Premier Sports Cup match against Dundee a week earlier, depending on the progress of the construction work. This would make the upcoming league fixture against Ross County their final game at Hampden Park.

The fan allocation dispute and the ongoing renovations at Ibrox have further complicated an already tense situation between the two Glasgow rivals. Old Firm matches are among the most intense and fiercely contested fixtures in world football, and the absence of away supporters will undoubtedly have an impact on the atmosphere at these games.

In recent years, both clubs have limited away allocations due to safety concerns, leading to several derbies being played in front of predominantly home support. While the reintroduction of a small number of away fans was seen as a positive step, the current disagreement has shown that logistical and safety issues remain significant obstacles to a full return of away support.

Rangers’ decision to apply for planning permission to install safety netting is seen as a move towards resolving these issues, but it remains to be seen how quickly the work can be completed and whether both clubs will follow through on their agreement to allow away fans in future fixtures.

For now, fans will have to wait and see how the situation unfolds, but it is clear that the issue of away allocations at Old Firm games remains a contentious one, with safety and logistics continuing to play a crucial role in the decisions made by both clubs.