'How the hell?' - Pundit tears into St Johnstone for Rangers decision in new 'Tinpot' verdict

Peter Grant has slammed St Johnstone for their decision to cut ticket allocations for travelling Rangers and Celtic supporters.

The Premiership side confirmed in a letter to supporters that fans of both Old Firm sides supporters will be limited to just the Ormond and North stands and one section of the Geoff Brown Stand.

St Johnstone aren’t the only club to make this decision already this season, but Go Radio pundit Grant has torn into the plan suggesting it makes the Premiership look like a “tinpot league”.

Speaking on The Go Radio Football Show (16 September, 1:15:30) he said: “Take Celtic and Rangers, the situation they’ve got between themselves at this moment in time.

“How the hell can St Johnstone, Hearts, Hibs be banning Celtic and Rangers fans? I know they’re talking about certain songs that have been sung for a hundred years.

“I’m not saying they’re right, wrong or indifferent but that’s the atmosphere we’re talking about here. We don’t want to be embarrassed when we keep seeing these big polystyrene sheets across seats, it looks absolutely terrible.

“We’re talking about trying to sell the game. That’s why it gives these [Jamie] O’Hara’s and all that the opportunity to say tinpot league and that’s what we’ve got to get rid of.”

How many Rangers and Celtic fans will be allowed at St Johnstone?

While St Johnstone supporters will likely have been delighted with their club’s decision to cap the number of away tickets available to Old Firm supporters, it does seem like a strange decision from a business and spectacle sense.

It doesn’t do the Scottish game any good to have stands empty and plastic covers draped across seats week after week. As Grant suggests, it just plays into the suggestion that football north of the border is “tinpot”.

Although teams like Hibernian, Hearts and St Johnstone are unlikely to want a Rangers takeover at their own ground every time they play Philippe Clement’s side, it does add to the atmosphere of these matches.

Financially, it remains to be seen how some of these clubs will fare without the Old Firm’s supporters in attendance.

St Johnstone’s decision will only make sense if they fill the seats vacated by Gers fans with their own supporters when the two clubs meet later this season.

In other Rangers news, Keith Jackson has been slammed live on air as a new Dave King verdict emerges at Ibrox

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