Celtic and Rangers hit with stunning ticket sanctions as SPFL get tough over Premier Sports Cup Final pyro
Celtic and Rangers will both have their ticket allocations slashed by 500 for their next League Cup trip to Hampden after SPFL chiefs hammered both clubs over fans' pyro.
Both this season’s semi finals were held up - as was December’s final between the two clubs - due to smoke billowing round the national stadium due to what league bosses describe as “large-scale, organised and illegal pyrotechnics displays”. Celtic’s semi final against Aberdeen was held up by 14 minutes while Motherwell v Rangers was delayed five minutes for the same reason.
The Old Firm final was three minutes late in kicking off for the same reason. Both clubs and Motherwell meanwhile have been hit with a further suspended reduction of 800 tickets for League Cup ties at the national stadium until 2027. Well's sanction comes after their own supporters breaches against Rangers in November's semi at Hampden.
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All three clubs were found to have breached SPFL rules by an independent disciplinary commission. Record Sport understands the commission concluded that the displays had been carried out by members of the Green Brigade group, the Bhoys group, as well as the Union Bears and Block E Ultras.
An SPFL statement said: “All three clubs have been found to have breached SPFL Rule H34 in failing to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that their supporters did not engage in “unacceptable conduct” at those matches. “The clubs were also found to have failed to identify or take proportionate disciplinary measures against the supporters responsible for the pyrotechnic displays.
“These displays led to a 14-minute delay to Celtic v Aberdeen, a five-minute delay to Motherwell v Rangers, a 3-minute delay to the Premier Sports Cup final; a health and safety risk to fellow supporters, players and those working at matches; as well as a significant inconvenience to thousands of supporters at the matches and fans watching worldwide.”
