King insists Ibrox club will not reverse decision to cut Celtic ticket allocation

Rangers have no intention of returning to the days when Celtic supporters occupied the entire Broomloan Stand at Old Firm matches.

They announced at the beginning of the season that they would only allow 800 away supporters to Ibrox for domestic matches. Celtic retaliated by cutting Rangers’ allocation to the same level for the 2 September meeting between the sides.

Last week Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell expressed fears of a security issue when his club’s supporters visit Ibrox on 29 December as a result of the reduced allocation.

However, at yesterday’s Rangers agm, chairman Dave King said: “I can give you absolute assurance that the board has no intention of reversing that decision.”

Some Rangers disabled supporters were injured in a crush at Celtic Park in the first derby of the season and Ibrox managing director Stewart Robertson made a thinly-veiled attack on the Celtic players for playing a role in that with their post-match celebrations.

Robertson said: “Having seen the effects of what happened back in September, players have a responsibility to be very careful about their actions during games and after games. Every action can have a reaction, as we saw that day. We just can’t have a repeat of that and players have to be very conscious of what they are doing, whether it be celebrations or other actions.

“We would hope we don’t see any repeat of that at all, anywhere.”