Rodgers: Great to have away fans back at 'world's greatest rivalry'

Brendan Rodgers has hailed the “great” news that an agreement has been reached to get away supporters back for what he describes as “arguably the greatest rivalry in world football”.

Both Celtic and Rangers revealed on Friday that over 2,000 visiting supporters will be in attendance for the next two Old Firm games this season.

That follows two years of away fans being locked out of the fixture and seven years of their being less than 1,000.

The Hoops boss is delighted with the news and insists having both sets of supporters in the stadium only helps add to a fixture he rates as being up there with the very best.

Speaking to the media ahead of his side’s trip to St Mirren at the weekend, he said: “I think everyone is happy (to see the away allocation back) it’s a big part of the fixture. I’ve been part of it with both sets of supporters there, home and away, and it does make a difference.

“It’s great for everyone, great for the game, great for the spectacle of the game and ultimately for the supporters who will get to go and see their team in a big game,

“We just had to get supporters back in the stadium again, that was the starting point then hopefully we can get near to where it was before because that always created a brilliant atmosphere.

“This was all the club, they have dealt with it really well. Like I have said previously this wasn’t a Celtic thing, this was something that sadly was out of our control at the beginning of it all.

“Thankfully now both clubs have come together and it was Michael (Nicholson) and the people behind the scenes who have dealt with it and it’s great news for all of us involved in the game.

“Football is about the rivalry, and there’s arguably no greater rivalry than Celtic v Rangers in world football. There are many great derbies of course, but this one is an exceptional one.

“So it’s good to have both sets of supporters in again, and for the game itself it always adds to the spectacle.”