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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Aidan Smith

James Bisgrove confirms Rangers vs Celtic away allocations for next season

James Bisgrove has confirmed that away allocations for Old Firm matches next season will remain at 800.

Away allocations have been controversially brought down to the small figure in recent seasons with many criticising the decision from both clubs.

There were no away fans at the final Old Firm derby clashes of this Premiership season and Bisgrove has confirmed that there will be no more than 800 Celtic fans at Ibrox next term.

He said: "I think it's definitely an area we're going to look at and we're going to have dialogue with all the right stakeholders, all the right authorities. Be that Police Scotland, be that Celtic and we hear and we recognise all the different viewpoints on that.

"So yes, absolutely we're going to look at that and then we'll see where those discussions go in terms of next season.

"There's no specific date in the diary for those talks, but I imagine during the summer and before the next Old Firm game that the dialogue will take place.

"For next season, the season tickets have not been sold in the corner of the Govan stand where the allocation was previously. So for next season, we do have the opportunity if we decide to reinstate the previous allocation, which I think was seven, eight hundred.

"That’s almost our maximum for next season and then beyond that it's a broader conversation but we need to have the dialogue with those stakeholders because there are a lot of different views on it but we will definitely have that conversation."

Bisgrove also updated supporters on a possible safe standing area at Ibrox.

He added: "Last week we had a quarterly RFC board meeting and we discussed some of the infrastructure work and one of the ones that we've confirmed is the improvement to the disabled facilities.

"That's a three-year plan in terms of the close seasons of 23, 24 and 25 to install new platforms for disabled supporters, but also new cantilevers on the Copeland and the Broomloan stands that would increase their capacity.

"What we are looking at is within those windows of works and it won't be this summer, but potentially next summer or the summer after. Can we use that as an opportunity for other stadium infrastructure projects? Safe standing is one that I personally think would bring a lot of positives in terms of stadium atmosphere.

"I've seen at other stadiums across Europe how beneficial that can be for the home fans that really want to get behind the team and they want to enjoy the match experience in that way.

"It's key that it's safe standing. That's where all the tests have been absolutely robust to prove that that's the case. What we will do in the next six months is revisit the feasibility of that from an infrastructure point of view.

"So working with the stadium architects and in parallel, we will also talk to the supporter groups. The supporter groups that have been lobbying, if you like, for want of a better phrase for safe standing, but also those that are concerned about it.

"They might be concerned because it means that their seat might not be their seat depending where we put it. We're going to have that dialogue but we're going to have it in a meaningful way and it's an area that I am supportive of and I know that others on the board are also supportive of it. I feel optimistic about it, but I can't give a guarantee until we've run through this process."

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