Chaos descended at Ibrox last weekend and fans from both sides ran onto the pitch shortly after the full-time whistle
12:39, 10 Mar 2026Updated 15:01, 10 Mar 2026
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Martin O’Neill admits he now fears no away allocations will be permitted at Celtic v Rangers matches following the disgraceful scenes at Ibrox on Sunday.
And the Irishman is saddened by the events because he reckons the atmosphere during their Scottish Cup quarter final victory over their arch rivals was the best he had seen for a long, long time.
Despite registering just a single shot on goal across 120 minutes, the Hoops set up a last-four showdown with St Mirren at Hampden after winning a penalty shootout thanks to January signing Tomas Cvancara.
But what quickly followed was shocking, as fans from both teams spilled onto the pitch, overshadowing their hard-earned victory. A member of Celtic’s coaching staff was attacked while stewards on duty were also assaulted. Police Scotland have already made nine arrests as the inquest into how the chaos was allowed to erupt continues.
A full complement of Celts supporters – equalling 7,500 – were allocated briefs in the Broomloan Stand for the first time since 2018 in a an Old Firm fixture, with Rangers agreeing to the increase in tickets with the understanding that Celtic would reciprocate the gesture where the sides to meet at Parkhead in a cup fixture in the future.
But O’Neill says the astonishing scenes after the full-time whistle on Sunday will put an end to those hopes. Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “I thought the noise on Sunday, and the Sunday before where we only had two and a half thousand people there (at Ibrox) was not something I’ve heard in a long time, maybe (since) Celtic played Liverpool away back in 2003 have I heard a noise emanating from a stadium like that.
“So there is something magical about it and I am obviously quite saddened by the events. It’s a shame because I think the things that I was hoping would happen which hadn’t happened for a long time won’t happen again with the full (away) allocations at Ibrox and Celtic Park perhaps being taken away.
A spectator attempts to get to the Celtic’s Tomas Cvancara and the rest of the squad as they leave the pitch.(Image: SNS Group)
“There is obviously going to be a lot of tonight and froing here about what happened. It’s not for me to go into proper analysis about it but I’m not pushing it to the side.
“It really was amazing on both Sundays and to replicate it at Celtic Park with a full crowd of Rangers fans, I think something will be lost from the Old Firm fixture if that atmosphere throughout the game is anything to go by.”
Amongst the mayhem, a couple of Celtic pitch invaders from the Broomloan Stand managed to snap selfies with the Celtic boss as he went over to wave to the travelling support.
“It shows you what an old man is actually thinking about when you have got some 15 year old lads asking you for a selfie at Ibrox. My usual thing is to acknowledge the away fans for a few seconds and then getting back in again. A couple of lads asked for a selfie and I was thinking ‘this is crazy, and old man getting a selfie is just ridiculous’.”
Celtic remain five points behind Premiership leaders Hearts and will be hoping to narrow that gap when they host Motherwell on Saturday. But O’Neil is fully aware of the challenges that Jens Berthel Askou’s impressive Steelmen will pose, despite their shock defeat to Dundee last weekend.
He said: “Myself, Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham went up to Dundee to see them last Saturday. They are a really fine side playing lovely football, there is no question about it.
“This will be difficult for us. I’ll find out the situation tomorrow about our own particular injuries but regardless of who plays for us, it will be really difficult.”