The return of Rangers fans to Celtic Park this week after a lengthy absence (some would say not lengthy enough) had me thinking about my previous dealings with both clubs.
Things Used to be Civil
Back in the early 2000s, relations between Celtic and the not quite deceased yet Rangers were far more cordial. Particularly when it came to what was called, at that time, “Old Firm” Games.
Around this same time, I, my father and my dearly departed mother ran a staffing agency. We supplied staff to Celtic and Rangers and a host of other football clubs and venues.
This gave us a unique insight into the matchday operations of both clubs, not just from a staffing point of view, but also in terms of security and logistics.
Coordination between the clubs to maintain the safety of travelling fans was frequent and, for the most part, conducted with mutual respect, if not quite friendship.
A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement
The potential flashpoint however, was the state of the away end whenever the opposing side came calling. Rangers fans would rip up seats, smash up toilets (assuming they weren’t too thirsty) and just generally wreck the place. As part of our post-match inspections. I saw these scenes of utter carnage first-hand.
And to be fair, when Celtic went to Ibrox, the Copeland Road end was left in a similar state.
But the clubs cooperated, and they had their own way of dealing with it.
No Money Changed Hands
It was commonly accepted by both clubs that this damage was an inevitable cost of the rivalry. A rivalry that was, commercially, highly lucrative for the boards of both businesses.
So, the standing arrangement was that when Rangers fans smashed up the away end at Celtic Park, Rangers would write a cheque for a token amount. Celtic would reciprocate in the aftermath of our fans visiting Ibrox. Neither side ever cashed the cheques, since it was a mutual understanding and repair costs were roughly equal.
Say what you will about David Murray’s lack of respect for taxation and employment laws, but he gave the Celtic Board their due. This deal held, as far as I know, right up until the original Rangers died in 2012.
Thankfully, my parents were switched on enough to see the writing on the wall. We stopped supplying Rangers with staff shortly after Craig Whyte assumed control and asked to “renegotiate our payment terms.”
What is the Deal Today?
So, in looking at the past, I wonder, what is the situation today?
Do Celtic have a similar understanding with the new Rangers vis a vis compensation for damages caused to Celtic Park. I have not anything to indicate that they do. In fairness the current incumbents at Ibrox may not even be aware that this arrangement was ever even a thing.
However that doesn’t take away from the fact that Celtic need to be proactive in this area, and I hope they have been.
There Will Be Damage, Whatever Happens
It’s a fact that tomorrow, regardless of the score, Rangers fans will trash the small section of Celtic Park they’ve been given. As I said before, both clubs back in the day accepted that such was the nature of the beast.
What is different today though is that I have no confidence whatsoever in this current incarnation of Rangers to honour their commitments or fulfil their financial obligations.
I just hope Celtic have appropriate insurance in place, and will pursue the new club occupying Ibrox for whatever damage their fans may cause.
Preparing for the Inevitable
Additionally, I hope we have some means of legal recourse if and when, as I suspect is inevitable, Rangers throw their toys out the pram after tomorrow’s game and refuse to allow Celtic fans into Ibrox for the final Derby after the split.
We all know that’s coming, even if no-one wants to talk about it.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. None of the people I worked with at Celtic are there anymore, but hopefully the new generation working there now know better than to take the Ibrox board’s word at face value.