Celtic Faces Police Warning Ahead of Old Firm Clash
Martin O’Neill has revealed Police Scotland issued Celtic with a “general behaviour” warning ahead of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Rangers at Ibrox – a tie that will be played in front of 50,000 home fans and not a single travelling supporter.
No Celtic support. No away end. Just noise from one side of Glasgow.
The authorities have barred Hoops fans from the stadium amid the ongoing ticket allocation row between the clubs, a dispute that has simmered since the last Old Firm meeting in Govan in March. That Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-final, won by Celtic on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes, descended into disorder off the pitch and has cast a long shadow over this latest encounter.
Both clubs have since been ordered to play their next home Scottish Cup ties behind closed doors. They have also been hit with a £100,000 compensation bill, to be paid to whichever side is drawn away in their next fixture in that competition.
Police warning and “timely reminder”
O’Neill, now 74 and back in the heat of the Old Firm cauldron, admitted the absence of Celtic fans will jar.
“It’ll be a bit strange not having the (Celtic) fans in but I’m nervously and excitedly looking forward to it, it’s a great fixture,” he said, before outlining the unusual pre-match visit from Police Scotland.
“We had the police come in today, just a little 15 minute meeting with us, just reminders of our behaviour, which I think is actually a timely reminder. It a good thing as well.
“I think it’s the overall picture. Gosh, it’d be nice to have something to celebrate. I think it’s just general behaviour from us.”
The message was clear: what happens on the pitch can spill into the stands and beyond.
“They didn’t mention this but I would have assumed that one of the things that they considered is what happens on the field of play, because these things can be taken further.
“You don’t want any sort of punch-ups for a start; secondly, you don’t want too excessive celebrations, stuff like that, if that was the case.
“I mean, I’d be delighted to be celebrating something in the game. But it’s the behaviour in the light of what has happened in recent fixtures.”
Discipline, then. Even in the rawest of fixtures.
Selection calls and the goalkeeping question
On the football side, O’Neill confirmed midfielder Mika Baur is expected to train on Saturday after missing Friday’s session with a knock, easing at least one concern before the trip across the city.
The real dilemma lies in goal.
Late summer signing Sam Johnstone, on loan from EFL Championship side Wolves, made his Celtic debut in Wednesday’s 1-0 William Hill Premiership win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park. The experienced England international now waits to discover whether that outing has earned him the gloves for Ibrox or whether Viljami Sinisalo, who started the season as number one, returns.
O’Neill kept his cards close.
“I haven’t made my mind up at all. It was a matter of getting a look at what Sam can do.
“It’s great to have the two of them. Big Viljami has done exceptionally well for us and it was just, again, an opportunity to see what Sam can do now.
“What he could do a couple of years ago was fantastic, what he can do now might be a totally different picture. I will let them know first.”
No away fans. A police warning ringing in their ears. A big call to make in goal. For Celtic and O’Neill, the next Old Firm chapter will be written in a very different kind of Ibrox silence.
