Sky Sports should go back to the 90s to market Celtic vs Rangers

It is largely why the news that Celtic and Rangers had agreed to end the away fan lockout at derby matches was met with widespread relief.

Allocations will be around four per cent of saleable capacity at both stadia after both clubs came together to thrash out a solution to the issue meaning away supporters will now be present for the two remaining Glasgow derby Scottish Premiership fixtures this season, the first at Celtic Park on March 16.

Rangers had ended the long-standing convention of allowing 7,500 Celtic fans into Ibrox in 2018, reducing the allocation to about 10 per cent of that total, with Celtic following suit.

The perceived wisdom was that the Ibrox club and their followers had gotten sick of seeing so many Celtic supporters celebrate regular victories at the home of their rivals since 2012.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was unequivocal in his thoughts back in August when asked to comment on the continued ongoing impasse with both sets of fans being denied entry to the ground of their respective rivals.

He said: "Celtic is getting dragged into this here as a ‘Celtic vs Rangers’ thing. It’s not a Celtic thing. This is a Rangers thing."

The Irishman was right. He's seldom wrong.

Read more:

• Rodgers insists Rangers away allocation saga 'wasn't a Celtic thing'

• Brendan Rodgers on Schlupp Celtic talks timeline, advice for Taylor

One can argue the rights and wrongs of it all but the bottom line is that without the opposition support in the stadia, the fixture lacked a special ingredient.

It was probably why Rodgers was in such a buoyant mood as he previewed the St Mirren game at the weekend. A win would move Celtic to within four victories of retaining their Premiership title.

Yet all the talk was of the derby ticket ban being lifted and not before time for Rodgers.

Rodgers said: "I think everyone is happy to see the supporters back. It's a big part of the fixture. Having been involved in it with the supporters there, both home and away, and seeing them being taken away, then it does make a difference.

"So yeah, I think it's great for everyone. It's great for the game, great for the spectacle of the game, and ultimately for the supporters. They get the chance to see their team, which is great."

You also have to hand it to Celtic and CEO Michael Nicholson in particular who has played a blinder here. They did not accede to any Rangers demands. They kept their powder dry and refused to play ball, especially when the Ibrox club were jumping up and down and issuing ultimatums. Celtic refused to crack or bow down to pressure.

After all, Rangers started the ban feud. Celtic simply called their bluff at every turn.

Cards on the table here, yours truly is delighted that rival fans will be allowed back in to see their teams.

Whilst four per cent is a decent enough starting point, hopefully, both clubs will see sense eventually and restore the original allocations in the fullness of time.

Does Rodgers reckon full allocations will ever return?

He said: "We will just have to get supporters back in the stadiums again. That was the starting point, and then hopefully it can get somewhere near to where it was before because that always creates an amazing atmosphere.

"Listen, this is all the club's doing. The club have dealt with it well. I've always said before, that this wasn't a Celtic thing. This was something that sadly was out of our control at the beginning of it all.

"Thankfully now, both clubs have come together, and it's been Michael (Nicholson) and the people behind the scenes that have dealt with it. It's great for us involved in the game."

It's great for everybody involved in the game - Sky Sports and the media alike, neutrals and supporters of the game all around the world.

Rodgers probably nailed it with these comments though: "Football as we know is about the rivalry and there's arguably no greater rivalry than Celtic v Rangers in World Football.

"There are many great derbies of course, but this one is the exceptional one. I think it's just good to have both sets of supporters in and I think for the game itself it always adds to the spectacle."

If Celtic vs Rangers/ Rangers vs Celtic is Scottish football's USP then we should be doing all we can to embrace today's news that both sets of supporters will be present at Celtic Park.

If I were in charge of SKY Sports TV, I'd be dusting down an old 1990s advert to trail the up-and-coming Glasgow derby fixture.

It featured actor Sean Bean staring down the camera lens and saying these powerful and evocative words to promote the product.

"Life. It can be difficult. We know that. We all need someone to rely on. Someone that's going to be there. Someone that's going to make you feel like you belong. Someone constant.

"It's ecstasy, anguish, joy and despair. It's part of our history, part of our culture and it will be part of our future.

"It's theatre, art, war and love. It should be predictable but never is. It's a feeling that can't be explained but we spend our lives explaining it.

"It's our religion. We do not apologise for it. We do not deny it. There our team, our family, our life.

"Football. We know how you feel about it because we feel the same."

I don't know about you but that sounds like the perfect and ideal way to market the next derby spectacle at Celtic Park, doesn't it? Sky Sports would be missing a trick if they didn't.

For all the lovers of Scottish football the Glasgow derby is our religion. We do not apologise for it. We do not deny it. It's part of our history, part of our culture and it will be part of our future.

Whether your scarf is green and white or red, white and blue is immaterial. The lifting of the away supporters ban is a cause for rejoicing and celebration. It is something that can unite both sets of supporters across the Glasgow clubs.

So, let's welcome the away fans back to the derby matches with open arms starting at Celtic Park on March 16.

Today - four per cent.

Tomorrow - Sky's the limit, surely?