Celtic ultras group known as the ‘Bhoys’ have publicly denounced Rangers FC for their decision to cancel over 700 tickets allocated to Celtic fans for the upcoming women’s Glasgow Derby at Ibrox. The move, revealed to the dismayed fans through the media, has ignited a fierce debate over fan treatment and club responsibilities in Scottish football.
The ‘Bhoys’, who had eagerly anticipated supporting Celtic Women in a crucial fixture, expressed their outrage in a scathing statement. “We had planned on going to Ibrox tomorrow to support Celtic Women in an important fixture. Today, we learned via the media that Rangers have taken the short-sighted decision to cancel over 700 tickets bought by Celtic fans,” the statement began.
The issue stems from Rangers’ decision to revoke the tickets, which were initially provided to Celtic to sell to their fans without restrictions. This move came as a particular blow considering the heightened interest in the match, partly due to away fans being prohibited from attending the first team games—a decision also born out of Rangers actions and criticised by many as being influenced by non-match going fans.
Rangers’ justification for this action, citing “risk” concerns, was met with derision by the ‘Bhoys’. The group pointed out the hypocrisy of Scottish clubs, including Rangers, who they accuse of only supporting active fans when convenient and demonising them when it suits their narrative. The ultras also highlighted that, according to reliable sources, the cancellation was due to Rangers’ refusal to cover the costs of adequate policing for the event, a detail not included in their public statements.
The cancellation has not only disappointed fans but also sparked a broader discussion on the treatment of supporters in Scottish football. The ‘Bhoys’ statement criticises the ongoing “circus with Derby tickets” and calls attention to deeper issues within the game, such as an unjustified level of mistrust towards fans and the misuse of “risk” as a blanket justification for poor treatment.
The Celtic ultras are calling for a change in how clubs manage ticket allocations, advocating for a common-sense approach that prioritises the perspective of match-going fans, both home and away. “These are sadly things we have long gotten used to; however, we call on clubs, yet again, to apply a common sense approach to ticket allocations and always from the perspective of match-going fans – both home and away across the board.”
