Mark Wilson expects it to be business as usual on December 30 with Celtic supplying 700 away tickets for the Glasgow Derby.
That might have gone down well in the Super Scoreboard studio but the former Celtic defender most certainly did not read the room outside of his media bubble.
The simmering ticket row surrounding the Glasgow Derby burst into life on Thursday afternoon with news that Celtic had turned down 700 unsafe tickets for Ibrox with the rider that the SPFL will be called on to ensure that there are 700 away fans at the return fixture in December.
Typical of an organisation led by the underwhelming Neil Doncaster the SPFL has no rules in place over ticket allocations beyond providing a reasonable amount.
Reasonable isn’t a percentage, some clubs might think that offering seats wedged in-between hostile home fans is reasonable, others might think than 10 tickets scattered across the stadium is reasonable.
One thing that can’t be doubted is that Wilson feels that it is reasonable to offer unsafe seats to Celtic fans at Ibrox, many disagree.
The former hoops defender should be guaranteed near hero status on the back of his famous goal in 2011, settling a very stormy Derby match that saw three of Walter Smith’s side get sent off and the club CEO’s dragged to Holyrood in the aftermath as fan legislation was brought in as a result of the actions of one set of players.
🗣️”There’s been an offer there, Celtic rejected it. I think it’s only fair they put the same offer to Rangers”
🎫Mark Wilson gave his thoughts on the Old Firm ticket row pic.twitter.com/KzG4QBIav6
— Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) August 17, 2023
Wilson talks some amount of garbage.
He can’t even get the basics right.— Fraudulentsilverwarefreezone (@Paidallthebills) August 17, 2023
It seems that media outlets are very reluctant to repeat the timeline of this issue.
From 1998 when Celtic Park completed its redevelopment both sides settled on away allocations of 7,000 while picking up the tab for vandalism caused at their opponents ground.
Four successive Celtic wins at Ibrox from 2016 broke the hearts of the loyal bears, not the results but witnessing the party scenes in the Broomloan Road.
Eager to play to the gallery, in the summer of 2018 Dave King decided to reduce Celtic’s allocation to 700 with that decision returned.
In season 21/22 each club had a home fans only Derby matche with almost all Celtic fans admitting that the 3-0 home win was one of the best atmospheres that they had ever experienced.
The token 700 allocations returned for the first two matches of last season but with no on the record comment it was back to home fans only for the April and May clashes.
It seems that Celtic’s safety concerns have been recognised with plans for nets to be put in place at Ibrox, conveniently they won’t be in place for the match on September 3.
Attention will now focus on Michael Nicholson for the December fixture. With Brendan Rodgers’ side playing at Ibrox without supporters the Celtic CEO has to decide whether to repeat that stance for the next derby- or whether he listens to Mark Wilson and hands an advantage to Celtic’s city neighbours.
Do you Mark? Did Celtic have a say when our fans were banned from Ibrox by Moonbeams Murray? Did Celtic have a say when our allocation was cut by 90%?
All this because we scudded them relentlessly.
No surrender my arse!!
— Opus Dei (@RyanTodd1978) August 17, 2023
He’d do anything to keep the pay coming in! Sold himself to the devil years ago!
— Whosa Ghirlie (@whosaghirlie) August 17, 2023
This clown Wilson should be banned from Celtic Park with immediate effect. He should have been shown the door after what he did to big Zaluska. Utter 🐀
— Green Smurf (@smurf36) August 18, 2023
Bottles and other items thrown at staff, fans and players, resulting in medical treatment. Rangers Fans stashing weapons in the stadiums. Panellists with Celtic links told to stay away as their safety can’t be guaranteed. Fkn unacceptable!!!!
— Paulybhoy82 (@paulybhoy82) August 17, 2023
Another Ex Celt takin the greasy coin and toeing the party line embarrassing 🤮
— The legend (@Thelege01259054) August 17, 2023
Mark has to remember Celtic FC didn’t instigate this situation. It was that bad Bhoy Odsonne Édouard who made the Hun sick of being buggered at Ipox! 😂🍀
— The Retro Celtic🍀 (@RetroCeltic) August 17, 2023
Some offer they made,
“here’s 709 tickets for an area we all agree is unsafe”
“Oh thanks very much”
Naw, bolt.
— CM-Panda (@CMCM1109) August 17, 2023
Seriously! Our staff and players are not safe at ibrox, a former Celtic player now TV presenter has been told they cannot guarantee his safety, but he thinks its fine for 700 of our fans to go🤔
— Rab (@CelticDa) August 17, 2023
Confirmation that Mark Wilson is a balloon
— Cadsy (@thecaddies7) August 17, 2023
What a ridiculous take that is from Wilson
— Baggy (@Baggy88) August 17, 2023
Mark Wilson saying “I think……” I’ll stop you there ⛔️
— pablo capaldi (@pablocapaldi) August 17, 2023
2 Comments
by UlyssesGunt
Offer them a few hundred , install boom box speakers above and behind them , then bombard them with rebs for 2 hours !!
by Terry Munro
Really?
Why should the rest of us have to put up with the “rebs”: drivel?
Time to grow up and move on from the IRA nonsense. The Irish people themselves have moved on..
CP is for Celtic not anything else.
HH