Large travelling supporter groups for Old Firm fixtures between Rangers and Celtic have been described as unsafe by the senior police officer leading the investigation into crowd trouble at Ibrox on Sunday.
The remarks follow incidents during the most recent meeting between the Glasgow rivals at Rangers’ home stadium. The officer overseeing the inquiry said that, based on recent experience, accommodating sizeable organised away sections presents safety concerns that are difficult to manage within the current match-day environment.
The Old Firm derby is one of the most high-profile and intense fixtures in British football, with a long history of rivalry between the clubs and their respective fan bases. In recent years, the allocation and positioning of away supporters at these matches has been a recurring point of debate involving clubs, authorities and fan groups. Decisions over ticket numbers, segregation, staffing and stadium operations have repeatedly been revisited as stakeholders seek to balance atmosphere, fairness, security and public order.
In the wake of Sunday’s events, the investigating officer indicated that large organised away allocations increase the scale and complexity of policing operations. According to the assessment, the combination of rivalry, expectations around the fixture, and the logistics of moving and managing a concentrated block of visiting fans can heighten the risk of flashpoints both inside and outside the stadium. The officer’s comments suggest that smaller or more limited away sections may be viewed as easier to supervise under current conditions.
While no final decisions on future arrangements were announced, the statement is likely to influence ongoing discussions between police, local authorities and the two clubs about how best to stage upcoming derbies. Any review would be expected to consider crowd flows, turnstile access, segregation barriers, stewarding levels and post-match dispersal plans.
The issue of away fan numbers at Old Firm matches has already seen several changes over recent seasons, with allocations adjusted on multiple occasions. The latest incident and subsequent police position may bring renewed scrutiny to existing policies and could prompt further revisions aimed at reducing risk while still allowing for visiting support.
No additional details of the investigation into Sunday’s trouble were provided, and there was no immediate indication of when any recommendations or changes to match-day arrangements might be formally presented.
