When would Celtic vs Rangers take place if derby is…

When would Celtic vs Rangers take place if derby is postponed as repeat of 2008 fixture nightmare looms

It’s almost 14 years ago now but the wounds of the 2008 Rangers fixture row with the SPFL have still not healed.

And the schedulers on Hampden’s sixth floor at the league body must be dreading the prospect of a similar scenario unfolding.

Iain Blair retired from his position last season and the long-serving former secretary will be glad he doesn’t have to deal with if the nightmare comes around.

But if Celtic meet the criteria to request a postponement of next month’s derby and their clash with rearranged for a second time then there is every chance a headache is on the horizon should they progress in Europe.

It will be the job of Blair’s successor Calum Beattie to deal with it this time and few would envy his position if it comes about.

Ange Postecoglou is facing up to the possibility of five of his Hoops squad being called up for international duty - three of his four Japanese stars plus Australia’s Tom Rogic and Cameron Carter-Vickers of USA.

If that comes pass - it will become clearer next Saturday when Japan name their squad - then Rule G7 of the SPFL’s rule book states that clubs can request a re-arrangement.

Record Sport columnist Chris Sutton insists his old side should push the game back, saying: “Do Celtic want to win the league or not?

“If they do want to win things then they stand a far better chance with their best players in the side.”

While the Rangers game on February 2 - one of two fixtures pushed back as a result of the winter break being brought forward - has the most riding on it, there are two other games impacted.

If Kyogo and Co are selected for crucial World Cup qualifiers and Rogic for the Socceroos, or Carter-Vickers for America then they would also miss a trip to Hearts and a home clash with Dundee United.

And the SPFL would be unlikely to allow Celtic to be selective and only postpone the Gers showdown, even if the Hoops felt they had enough to negotiate the other two fixtures.

That would mean cancelling all three games and leaving SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster facing a real problem.

When the decision was taken to bring the winter break forward and postpone games he admitted there was no wiggle room.

Doncaster said: “There is no further room. We had two slots in January and the beginning of February, which we've used.”

The SPFL, headed up by Neil Doncaster, will not say how much the game makes in the trade (SNS Group)

The job of rearranging fixtures is made tougher in the Scottish Premiership with the split and here we look at the midweek dates which shows the lack of available options.

If Celtic progress in the Europa Conference League and reach the quarter finals then there would be NO available midweeks with three fixtures to squeeze in, if they seek a postponement.

Midweek dates until the April 9 Premiership split

JANUARY

17/18 - Scottish Premiership

25/26 - Scottish Premiership

FEBRUARY

1/2 - Scottish Premiership (Celtic v Rangers)

9 - Scottish Premiership

17 - Borussia Dortmund v Rangers/Celtic v Bodo/Glimt

24 - Celtic v Bodo/Glimt/Rangers v Borussia Dortmund

MARCH

2 - Scottish Premiership

10 - Europa League/Conference League last-16 first leg