Thousands of Celtic fans face missing out on club's next Premier Cup Hampden appearances after latest SPFL pyro charge
THOUSANDS of Celtic fans face being locked out of Hampden for the club's appearances at the business end of the Premier Sports Cup after the club were served with an SPFL notice of complaint.
We told you back in March how the Hoops - and their fellow finalists Rangers - were handed an immediate ticket cuts of 500 seats for their next Premier Sports Cup appearance at Hampden.
2
Celtic fans orchestrated a massive pyro display on the last day of the season
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
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The Green Brigade pyro
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
But included in that statement was a further suspended sanction of a further 800-ticket cut for a breach of league rules on pyrotechnics in a match in any SPFL competition.
To be precise, the verdict applied a "suspended sanction of a reduction of 800 tickets for a future Premier Sports Cup match to be played at Hampden Park in the event of another breach of SPFL Rule H34 through pyrotechnic use by supporters of the Club in any SPFL competition before 30 March 2027."
And that spells bad news for Hoops fans, who along with Aberdeen and Partick Thistle have just been handed a disciplinary charge at the SPFL which relates to the use of pyrotechnics.
The match in question was their final game of the season, the 1-1 draw against St Mirren last month after which they lifted the Premiership trophy.
Hoops ultras revealed banners with a no-entry sign over Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson and the words "Fan engagement up in smoke" .
Rule H34 in the SPFL rule book states that "Each Club must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that its Players, officials, supporters and any person exercising a function for or connected with the Club do not engage in Unacceptable Conduct at a Stadium on the occasion of an Official Match."
It is also required that any club "identifies any of its supporters who engage in Unacceptable Conduct at an Official Match; and it takes proportionate disciplinary measures in respect of supporters so
identified in terms of Rule H34.2."
So should the forthcoming SPFL hearing find the Hoops guilty of that breach, the logical conclusion is that it will trigger the additional 800-ticket sanction for that 'future' Premier Sports Cup match at Hampden.
With the wording of the punishment is ambiguous, all that remains unclear is whether Celtic would be handed an IMMEDIATE 1300-seat reduction for their first match at Hampden.
Alternatively, the sanction could be spread over more than one match (ie a 500 ticket reduction for Celtic's first Hampden Premier Sports Cup match, 800 for the second).
Having established an initial tariff of 500 tickets for the first offence, it would be strange if the cut was limited to 800 altogether for a second offence.
Lowdown: SPFL notices of complaint over pyro
The following clubs have been served with SPFL complaints Partick Thistle - During an away match against Ayr United a two-minute delay occurred due to pyrotechnics being used and subsequently thrown on to the pitch. A further two-minute delay occurred later in the match following a large-scale pitch incursion. Aberdeen - During a home match against Celtic (live on Sky Sports), the broadcaster had to issue an apology for interruptions to the broadcast following a pyrotechnic display, which caused significant smoke clouds to form. Celtic - During (and prior to) a home match against St. Mirren a large-scale orchestrated pyrotechnic display took place in the north-east corner of the stadium.
The news came as SPFL bosses announced that fans have smashed the SPFL attendance record for the third consecutive year in season 2024/25.
The SPFL have been contacted for comment.
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