‘Barring away fans from Rangers / Celtic clashes risks killing the atmosphere’

The 1-1 clash at Parkhead on Sunday was marred by fighting in the stands, with both clubs blaming the other’s set of supporters.

It has brought to the fore a proposed solution which many have long hoped would not be required – allowing home supporters alone.

Veteran Scottish sportswriter Andrew Smith of The Scotsman wrote on Monday: “Away allocations should be removed completely once more... there is a poison to this fixture that requires lancing in any ways possible.

“Forget the guff about the ‘passion’ being diluted with only home supporters. Hate and disorder shouldn’t be enabled.”

Tommy Kerr, the 67-year-old president of Clough Rangers Supporters Club outside Ballymena, said: “The two clubs had done an awful lot to try and bring respect into football. That certainly reduced it immensely at the game itself.

“It largely had disappeared there, but it seems to be maybe creeping in a wee bit more than it used to. It spoils the game – it spoils it for the two clubs. There’s no need for it whatsoever.”

He said away allocations have dropped to perhaps 700 or 800 for the old firm clashes over time, making tickets hard to get anyway.

He indicated that the idea of allowing rival fans in but keeping them well separated is perhaps the best solution available.

“Personally, I think you need away supporters there to help create an atmosphere,” he told the News Letter.

“To me that’s not a good idea. Because you need support there to create an atmosphere.

“Did you watch Liverpool V Newcastle there? A terrific game of football. And you’d maybe 4,000 Liverpool supporters there. It keeps the players on their toes.”

Asked if he feels any one set of supporters is worse than the other when it comes to disorder, he said that are “both the same in my honest opinion”.

But he also suggested there is an undue focus on Glasgow old firm clashes.

Citing recent Birmingham / Millwall brawling, he added: “If you follow other football matches there in England, especially the lower division, the championship, you can see supporters going at eachother hammer and tongs and it’s never highlighted the same as an old firm game. That goes on continually.”

Scottish Police had said after the Sunday match: “[We] would like to thank the vast majority of fans who enjoyed the fixture and followed club and police advice.

“Eight people were arrested for various offences including disorder, pyrotechnics and religiously aggravated offences. Two of these arrests were within the stadium.”

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