Europe · 2 hr. ago

Martin O'Neill would rather Celtic had no fans than 300 at Ibrox

Martin O'Neill has slammed the decision to offer Celtic only 300 tickets for their upcoming League Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, calling the allocation insufficient.

Martin O'Neill would rather Celtic had no fans than 300 at Ibrox

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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has expressed his frustration after Rangers confirmed an allocation of only 300 tickets for Celtic supporters for the upcoming League Cup quarter-final at Ibrox.

O'Neill dismissed the offer as inadequate, stating he would rather receive no tickets at all than accept such a small number. He emphasized that the fixture remains one of the most significant in world football, and the atmosphere is significantly diminished without a proper away contingent.

The best atmosphere is when the away fans have their allocation. So, that's a shame. But very obviously, if they're going to give us 300 tickets, I would rather say, 'no'. Martin O'Neill

This situation stems from previous crowd disorder during last season's Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, which led to sanctions from the Scottish FA. While that match hosted approximately 8,000 away fans, subsequent Premiership meetings have seen significantly lower numbers due to ongoing ticketing restrictions.

Beyond the ticket dispute, O'Neill is pushing for urgent reinforcements before the transfer deadline. Following a disappointing exit from the Champions League, the manager is looking to bolster his squad's depth. The need for new signings has been underscored by a fresh injury to Kieran Tierney, leaving the team thin in key defensive positions.

Prepared by TheGoalStorm based on reporting by bbc.sport