Ally McCoist hits out at Rangers and Celtic amid ongoing Old Firm fan saga live on talkSPORT
Ally McCoist has slammed Rangers and Celtic amid the ongoing Old Firm away fan saga, calling for both clubs to get their heads together and come up with a solution.
The Rangers legend compared the fixture to the one between Newcastle and Sunderland in the FA Cup, claiming the Tyne-Wear derby was the best atmosphere he’d heard in England in years.
McCoist continued by insisting that it is the fans who are suffering as a result of the ongoing impasse, and it is directly affecting the atmosphere at Old Firm clashes to the point where it doesn’t feel real.
Speaking live on talkSPORT [17 December, 09:56], McCoist ranted: “It has to happen. Has to happen, Al. I’ve told you, Sunderland against Newcastle was the best atmosphere I’ve seen at a game in England in years.
“We both know better than most that the travelling fans, particularly at Old Firm games, are brilliant. They make themselves well-heard, and they enjoy the challenge of being outnumbered.
“I’ve got to say, both clubs have got to get their heads together and come up with a solution. It’s only fair, because the people that are suffering are the fans, again. It has to change. I’m stating the obvious.
“That last Old Firm game… There are goals going in and the Celtic supporters have nobody to laugh at, and the other way around. It’s just not on. When Celtic scored at Ibrox, there’s just something not real about it.”
Hoping to come to an agreement
It is positive that talks have begun again, and encouragement from the SPFL should help negotiations conclude. The report [The Times, 16 January] claiming an allocation of 750 could now be on the cards is a big step forward.
Both sets of fans will recognise that the small number of away fans in attendance will pale in comparison to previous allocations of up to 8,000 we have seen before, and the hope is that we can one day reach those numbers again.
McCoist is bang on. It’s the fans who suffer yet again as a result of the clubs’ egos and refusal to work together, and as a result, the atmosphere at what should be the biggest games in every season has been severely impacted by the lack of away support.
The recent Old Firm clash at Celtic Park was yet another thrilling affair – but it was desperately missing fans. After James Tavernier pulled a goal back for Rangers with ten minutes to play (including added time), the usual roar of support from the away end was missing and ultimately dampened the potential of the game.
In other Rangers news, clubs could be set for a multi-million windfall after recent developments.