CELTIC have revealed they cannot give Aberdeen more tickets for the top-of-the-table match between the sides at Parkhead next month because it would involve having to re-house a section of their own season ticket holders.
Some fans of the Pittodrie club were left frustrated after Celtic chose not to extend Aberdeen's allocation after their initial batch of 1800 tickets - 600 more than they usually take for Celtic Park - for the match on March 1 sold out within 48 hours. The move followed Aberdeen's decision to reduce Celtic's allocation from 3500 to 2000 for the teams' meeting at Pittodrie in November.
With the teams first and second in the SPFL Premiership table, Aberdeen had hoped to have a larger backing at the match that could go a long way in deciding the destination of the title. Celtic, though, chose not accede to the request for more tickets, much to the disappointment of some supporters.
"It's a weird one really," said Chris Auton of the Dandy Dons Aberdeen supporters club. "We reduced their allocation as we wanted to fill the stadium with our own fans, and the Celtic fans still had a decent section. But for this game at Parkhead it looks like there will be empty seats and they don't seem to want to sell them. I don't understand the thinking behind that. Why not give the tickets to people who need them?
"That's their decision and we just have to live with it. I think it's probably just a bit of tit-for-tat given what happened before and they don't want more Aberdeen fans there on the day given it's shaping up to be quite an important game for both teams. To have sold our initial allocation was a great effort but I'm sure we could easily have sold another 1000 for such a big game. There is definitely a demand there. But that's Celtic's choice and we just have to get on with it."
Auton felt that, if Aberdeen were still in title contention by then, then their fans would find a way to attend the game, no matter what it took. "There have been plenty of times in the past when we've had Celtic or Rangers fans in the home end at Pittodrie," he added. "It might end up with Aberdeen fans buying tickets for the home end at Celtic Park next month if they are determined to get to the game."
A Celtic spokesperson revealed that logistically it would not be possible to give more tickets over to the travelling support. "To give a bigger allocation over to the Aberdeen fans we would need to move some of our season ticket holders and clearly we can't do that. It's pretty straightforward."
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