Ciaran Morrison

Sat 21 March 2026 9:30, UK

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Celtic and Rangers could face having just 800 away supporters at Old Firm fixtures in the future.

That is according to ex-Aberdeen, Aston Villa, and Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, on the implications of the ugly scenes from the latest Old Firm clash.

Supporters from both clubs clashed on the pitch after the final whistle, with the Scottish Football Association [SFA] currently undertaking an investigation of the events.

The Glasgow duo have been criticised for their slow responses to condemn the behaviour of a section of their fanbases, with statements released four days after the match.

Celtic won the Scottish Cup tie 4-2 on penalties, after the game had finished 0-0 after 120 minutes, just a week after they had played out a 2-2 draw in the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox.

Authorities ‘need to get to grips’ with ‘factions’ of Old Firm support

Aberdeen’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004, had lengthy spells as the chief of Everton and Aston Villa and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – has slammed the SFA as “useless” as he demands action to be taken on certain sections of Rangers and Celtic supporters.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness believes only “genuinely good fans” should be able to attend the Old Firm in the future.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “If it takes the SFA to start saying to the clubs, look, we know who these factions are. Let’s get together and get to grips with it. Let’s get the police involved.

“Let’s identify them. Let’s stop them coming to the games. Let them spend their weekends doing something else rather than coming to football matches. That’s what they’ve got to do. And if the SFA can help by bringing the authorities and knocking heads together, but let me tell you, the SFA is useless as well at these sorts of things.

“I’m afraid we are not blessed in Scotland with good administrators. The SPL, very poor. The SFA, equally as poor. And it does need somebody to grab the game by the scruff of the neck because to me, it’s quite clear the SFA should be saying, we don’t want to ban all away fans.

“I don’t think that’s the answer. We might reduce it from two and a half thousand to 800, but in those 800, they’ve got to be genuinely good fans who are not aligned to any particular faction. Is that the hardest ask in the world? I don’t think so. And I think that’s what the SFA should be looking for right now.”

Keith Wyness predicts Scottish Premiership winner

Wyness told Football Insider that Celtic’s 2-2 draw at Rangers could prove a defining moment in the Scottish Premiership title race.

Celtic have been backed by Wyness to clinch the Scottish Premiership title ahead of Rangers and Hearts due to Martin O’Neill’s experience in the dugout.

Danny Rohl’s inexperience could prove to be Rangers’ downfall, and Wyness thinks the pressure will be too much for Hearts to handle.