The latest SWPL derby match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday has stirred significant controversy following Rangers’ decision to cancel tickets for Celtic fans.
The match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, saw Celtic dominate much of the game but unable to secure a win as Rangers equalised late in the match.
The cancellation of tickets just a day before the game, attributed by Rangers to concerns over high-risk supporters, has been met with criticism from various quarters. Caitlin Hayes made a pointed statement by wearing a T-shirt with the message “Football without fans is nothing,” directly addressing the cancellation decision.
Rangers’ action has led to a wider discussion about the impact such decisions have on the women’s game, particularly in terms of fan engagement and atmosphere at matches. Alison McConnell, speaking on PLZ Soccer, criticised the move as “amateur hour” and “embarrassing,” highlighting the adverse effects on the game’s promotion and growth. The attendance figure of 4,022 in a stadium that can hold 50,000 underscores the missed opportunity to showcase the women’s derby in a vibrant, full atmosphere.
McConnell emphasised that the women’s game cannot afford such exclusions. The visual of a sparsely populated stadium fails to generate the enthusiasm and support that the women’s game is striving for. Moreover, she pointed out that the issue seems to stem from a “political decision” rooted in the men’s game, which has unfortunately spilt over into the women’s side, affecting its independent growth and fan experience.
She said: “I think it looked like amateur hour. It looks embarrassing. You’ve got this huge stadium which seats 50,000 people, TV cameras there, and a crowd of 4,022 and I don’t think we can afford to be sniffy.
“The women’s game is bending over backwards to attract a crowd and grow the game, to bring in young fans, to keep them interested. I think it was an appalling decision to lock away fans for whatever reasons it is. It was poor and I think it looked embarrassing.
“You have these television images of a practically empty stadium with sporadic fans spread across. It doesn’t generate a good atmosphere inside the stadium and I don’t think it’s a good advert for the Scottish women’s game at all.
“The optics of it look dreadful and what it comes down to is a political decision that’s manifested itself in the men’s side of the game and it’s drifted over to the women’s side.”
