O'Neill would rather Celtic had no fans at Ibrox than 300

Martin O'Neill, Celtic's manager, expressed his disappointment over the Scottish Football Association's decision to limit Rangers' ticket allocation for their League Cup quarter-final at Ibrox next month. The Scottish FA announced the sanction, following crowd disorder during last season's Scottish Cup quarter-final, when around 8,000 visiting Rangers supporters attended the match at Ibrox.

The figure was four times higher than recent Premiership meetings between the two clubs, which had different ticketing rules for Scottish Cup games.

O'Neill, speaking after Celtic's 2-1 Premiership win over Falkirk, said he would rather not receive any tickets if Rangers' allocation is 300, as he considers the fixture too significant to be without an appreciable number of fans. He emphasized that the fixture is one of the greatest in football, regardless of the teams' relative strengths, and that the atmosphere is best when both sets of supporters are present.

The manager also highlighted the significance of the match in European terms, noting that the fixture generates global interest and a fantastic atmosphere. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the limited ticket allocation, stating that it is a shame, but understandable given the circumstances.