I will slash allocation for Gers fans
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KILMARNOCK supremo Billy Bowie last night promised to slash all future ticket allocations for Rangers and Celtic fans at Rugby Park.
Bowie laid out his plans in an exclusive interview with Record
FROM BACK PAGE Sport shortly after announcing yesterday that only 4000 away end tickets will be sent to the Ibrox club for the final topflight game of this season – a reduction of 50 per cent on the normal 8000 seats at both ends of the ground.
Rangers responded with a thinly-veiled threat to refuse to take more tickets for future games – a move that could potentially cost the Rugby Park club around £250,000 per season.
But Bowie revealed the decision was taken to limit the number of Old Firm fans after Celtic’s last visit to Ayrshire in February – when Kris Boyd was struck by a coin, smoke bombs were let off in the stands and Parkhead punters spilled on to the pitch to celebrate Scott Brown’s late winner.
Bowie said: “We have spoken to our fans about it and there is a feeling that they are intimidated when the Old Firm sides come to Rugby Park.
“So we have decided what we want to do is create an environment for them on matchdays where they feel absolutely safe.
“We want them to feel comfortable bringing their families to any game and that has not always been the case.
“After the last game against one of the Old Firm, we realised this was something that we had to discuss. We have had a lot of talks about it and this is the way we have decided to handle it going forward.”
A Rangers spokesperson said they are “disappointed” with Killie’s decision and will “consider carefully what allocation we shall seek for future matches at Rugby Park”.
Their fans normally occupy the Chadwick and Moffat stands at both ends of the ground.
But Bowie wants to turn the Moffat Stand into a family section of the home support with a fan zone outside to attract families to the stadium.
And he believes, with Steve Clarke’s side flying high at the top end of the table for a second successive season and closing in on European football, he can add another 1000 home fans to the average gate.
In yesterday’s statement, though, Bowie insisted Gers’ allocation has been cut for this particular game on May 19 in order to allow his supporters to celebrate Killie’s 150th birthday.
The Ayrshire club’s major shareholder said: “Our squad is challenging at the top end of the Premiership with the real possibility of breaking last season’s club record points total.
“As we continue our 150th anniversary celebrations, we want to turn our final game of the season at home to Rangers into a celebration of all things Killie.
“With this in mind, we as a board of directors have made the decision to house Rangers fans solely in the Chadwick Stand with Kilmarnock fans in the remaining three stands.”