RING OF STEEL

Barriers to be erected around Celtic Park as derby fears remain

CELTIC are set to erect a ring of steel around Parkhead as concerns remain over whether next weekend’s derby clash with Rangers will go ahead.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf and Sports Minister Mairi Gougeon will hold crunch talks with the SPFL, Police Scotland, Glasgow City Council and the clubs today after the Scottish Government threatened to pull the plug on the fixture.

The threat followed Covid-19 breaches on the streets of

Glasgow by Rangers fans after last weekend’s title triumph.

Alarm bells are ringing in government circles over the prospect of fans congregating outside Celtic Park ahead of the Glasgow derby on Sunday, March 21, with the Justice Secretary last night admitting that cancellation was still ‘an option’.

However, the Parkhead club have already made the decision to put barriers and fences around Celtic Way to beef up security after damage to the club store in Glasgow city centre and incidents around the stadium last weekend.

Last night, a Celtic statement confirmed: ‘Following the events of last weekend we are enhancing security around the club’s property in the run up to the match.’

SPFL chiefs have played down suggestions the Old Firm game could be pulled or moved back 24 hours, insisting they’ve had no indication that’s the case.

But, speaking to the BBC last night, Yousaf refused to rule

anything out, saying: ‘It’s certainly an option (calling the game off). ‘Let’s be very clear: we’re in the midst of a pandemic. People have missed weddings, they have missed funerals. They have not seen their family, parents, grandparents. We are not going to allow people to gather — and in the case of the game on March 21, potentially create disorder while the vast majority of citizens obey the rules. ‘I will make that clear, not just to the football clubs, but to everybody at that meeting. I will not be unfair. I will ask the football clubs to put out very clear messaging from their managers, their players, their club ambassadors, to say very clearly that fans must stay at home. ‘There is only so much, in fairness, that the clubs can do but I will ask them to do as much as they can. ‘I will then take an assessment and we as a government will take an assessment from the intelligence we receive from Police Scotland. And if there is a serious question, or likelihood, of disorder or fans gathering, then we would have to consider whether or not it’s wise for the match to go ahead.’