This whole decision feels like we’ve folded before the game. The SPL handing over to Celtic’s board narrative, that the trouble was solely down to the Union Bears, leaves a sour taste. Rangers fans shouldn’t be the default scapegoat or the ones expected to meekly accept conditions dreamed up by the visitors.
Who decided and why?
Why did the SPL allow a stipulation from Celtic to carry so much weight? To be fair, I don’t know the internal mechanics but it looks odd that an issue in a separate competition, run by a different organisation with different away allocation rules, suddenly colours this fixture. Fans of both clubs have been quick to point fingers; that’s human. The problem is our side too often bows to that pressure. We accept responsibility before the case is made. That appeasement hurts us, on the pitch and off it. If we’re following a narrative set by the opposition, we hand them control of the debate and the optics.
Where's the consistency?
We also have to ask about consistency. Would we have been given 10,000 tickets if the cup tie was at their ground? I doubt it, and I’m not saying that as a statistic, it’s about how these things are perceived. If the allocation rules are applied differently across competitions then supporters lose confidence in the process. The SFA and SPL need clear, consistent standards so clubs aren’t left negotiating under the shadow of another club’s demands. Otherwise every fixture becomes a political battle, and that benefits no one but the loudest voice.
Time for a firmer stance
It's time Rangers stopped being the easy target. We have to take allocated tickets and cooperate with safety directives, to be clear. But there's a difference between cooperating and consenting to language that paints our support as the default villain. Our board should have pushed for parity, insist that any measures are mirrored for the away fans who actually caused the trouble, or at least be transparent about negotiations. If we accept unequal terms without making that point loudly, we only hand our rivals another advantage off the field.
Fans aren't asking for a fight for fighting's sake. We want fairness and clarity. If that means being tougher in public, then so be it. To be fair, somebody on our side needs to say it plainly: accept safety rules, but stop accepting the narrative that we're always to blame.
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