Celtic ultras unleash on Hearts powerbrokers as away ticket allocation sparks 'unnecessary division' among Hoops fans
The Bhoys Celtic ultras have released a scathing statement on Hearts over the number of away tickets for Hoops fans.
The Jambos took the decision to cut all Tynecastle away allocations to around 650 with the exception of city rivals Hibs. The decision was taken by Hearts due to bumper season ticket sales and the demand from walk up punters for home tickets with the new rules meaning 10 of the 11 clubs visiting the capital next season will be given just one section of the Roseburn stand for Scottish Premiership fixtures from last season.
But the fan group have unleashed on the Gorgie club following the 4-1 win for Brendan Rodgers' side in the capital on Saturday night to move three points clear at the top of the ticket. The ultras claim that the hunt for tickets for the clash - which was shown on Sky Sports - has sparked "unnecessary division and friction amongst our support."
The statement read: "The ongoing away tickets saga for Hearts meant the vast majority of the group could not attend the match. The away allocation given to Celtic was 632, which had to be split between players, sponsors, corporates and everybody else meaning most regulars had to settle for watching the game on TV.
"For a long time now we've witnessed the hunt for tickets cause unnecessary division and friction amongst our support. It is our opinion that the club should refuse to accept such a small allocation until a sensible conversation that prioritises match-going supporters can be had on the issue.
"While Hearts (and every other club) are entitled to offer what they like, we again question the logic of allowing hundreds or even thousands of empty seats when there are as many fans willing to pay to fill them. There must be a way of achieving a more suitable arrangement for all parties, as well as the overall 'product'.
"In order to support Celtic in some capacity, we attended the B team's 4-0 victory over Albion Rovers in Airdrie on Friday night. Cheap tickets, Friday night football and relaxed security all contributed to a positive, fun and different experience to what we have become accustomed to. A very timely reminder of what football should be like."
