'It's a joke' - Parlour agrees as Brazil rages at Rangers development this week

Alan Brazil has delivered his fury at the latest development between Rangers and Celtic, with away fans once again victim of a lockout from the Old Firm derby.

Brazil touched on the matter with Ray Parlour live on talkSPORT on Friday morning [16 August] as the duo discussed Ipswich Town’s return to the Premier League and the importance of away fans for an atmosphere.

The topic quickly changed to the Old Firm controversy – on which Brazil had already made his views clear – as Celtic barred Rangers fans from their supposed allocation of 2,500 seats at Parkhead for the first derby of the season in 1 September.

“So important the away fans isn’t it? Because that makes the atmosphere,” Parlour said.

Brazil fired back: “Well no Celtic or Rangers fans this year I heard yesterday, it’s a joke.”

“Yeah it is a joke really because you’ve got to have away fans, they can get the atmosphere,” agreed Parlour.

Fans lose out from Rangers and Celtic decision

When it appeared that progress was being made in allowing away supporters in for Old Firm clashes, the pendulum has swung again.

Celtic took the initiative to shun Gers fans from Parkhead in a fortnight’s time; Rangers quickly responded to reciprocate the arrangement for the Ibrox return on 2 January.

It’s the fans who lose out; the atmosphere of a world-famous derby that entirely loses one half of its edge.

Safety concerns can be discussed all anyone likes but as Simon Jordan pointed out live on talkSPORT on Thursday [15 August], if the police have signed off a safety regime for the match, the SPFL cannot hide behind certification issues. The league should deal with clubs accordingly to prevent this from occurring.

As the number of the Light Blues faithful packed into the away end at Parkhead slowly fell, the recent experience of having a 0% away allocation is demeaning to a historic derby from which any potential disorder will not be affected either way by a stringent safety plan to contain and segregate the two sets of supporters.

In other Rangers news, Todd Cantwell must be dealt with if he is not sold this month.

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