Police Scotland Issues Warning to Celtic Ahead of Old Firm Clash
Martin O’Neill has revealed that Police Scotland delivered a “general behaviour” warning to Celtic ahead of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final with Rangers at Ibrox.
The message was clear. Keep a lid on it.
Old Firm, no away end
For the first time in this competition’s modern history, an Old Firm tie at a full Ibrox will be played without a single Celtic supporter inside the 50,000-capacity stadium, after authorities stepped in amid the long-running ticket allocation dispute between the clubs.
That row has its roots in the last meeting in Govan in March, when crowd disorder overshadowed Celtic’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-final win on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes. The fallout has been severe.
Both clubs have been ordered to play their next home Scottish Cup ties behind closed doors. On top of that, each has been hit with a £100,000 compensation bill, to be paid to whichever club is drawn away in their next fixture in that competition.
Into that backdrop walked the police.
“Timely reminder”
O’Neill explained that officers visited Celtic’s Lennoxtown base on Friday for a short briefing with the squad.
“We had the police come in today, just a little 15 minute meeting with us, just reminders of our behaviour, which I think is actually a timely reminder. It a good thing as well,” the 74-year-old said.
“I think it’s the overall picture. Gosh, it’d be nice to have something to celebrate. I think it’s just general behaviour from us.
“They didn’t mention this but I would have assumed that one of the things that they considered is what happens on the field of play, because these things can be taken further.
“You don’t want any sort of punch-ups for a start; secondly, you don’t want too excessive celebrations, stuff like that, if that was the case.
“I mean, I’d be delighted to be celebrating something in the game. But it’s the behaviour in the light of what has happened in recent fixtures.”
The absence of an away end will change the feel of the occasion, and O’Neill did not hide that.
He admitted it “will be a bit strange not having the (Celtic) fans in” but said he is “nervously and excitedly looking forward to it, it’s a great fixture.”
Johnstone or Sinisalo?
While the noise around the game swirls off the pitch, O’Neill still has hard football calls to make.
In goal, he has yet to decide whether late summer signing Sam Johnstone will keep his place or whether Viljami Sinisalo, who started the season as number one, will return.
Johnstone, the experienced England international on loan from EFL Championship side Wolves, made his Celtic debut in Wednesday’s 1-0 William Hill Premiership win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
O’Neill used that match as an audition.
“I haven’t made my mind up at all. It was a matter of getting a look at what Sam can do,” he said.
“It’s great to have the two of them. Big Viljami has done exceptionally well for us and it was just, again, an opportunity to see what Sam can do now.
“What he could do a couple of years ago was fantastic, what he can do now might be a totally different picture. I will let them know first.”
In midfield, there was a minor boost. Mika Baur, who missed training on Friday with a knock, is expected to train on Saturday and put himself in contention.
The stakes are already high in Glasgow. Now, with empty seats where the away support should be and a police warning ringing in players’ ears, discipline might decide who celebrates and who pays for it long after the final whistle.
