Considering the ‘Stop Pricing Fans out of Football’ protest | OneFootball

Although Saturday’s spotlight was on the ongoing silent protests against the Celtic board, another significant message from fans went largely unnoticed…

Bhoys Celtic, joined by Hibernian’s Block 7 ultras, both voiced opposition at Celtic Park to the excessive ticket prices in Scottish football, with Hibs fans being ludicrously charged £39 for last weekend’s match, causing rightful anger among both fan groups.

Banners appeared in both the home and away sections of the stadium, drawing attention to the ticket pricing issue, with Block 7 in the away end displaying: “Stop pricing fans out of football,” while Bhoys Celtic in the home end held up their own message reading: “£39 = PLC greed – fairer pricing for all fans.”

Amid recent focus on protests targeting the Celtic board, this joint demonstration has largely escaped wider attention, yet the collaboration between rival fan groups highlighted that escalating ticket prices are increasingly unsustainable and threaten to push away the core supporters of football clubs across Scotland.

It should be noted that this will be the ticket price when Celtic visit Easter Road later in the season and Celtic would probably be open to lower away prices for supporters, given the usually small number of away fans visiting Celtic Park and the huge demand for tickets for Celtic’s away matches in Scottish football.

Many fear that without genuine pressure from fan groups, ticket prices will keep rising, gradually excluding ordinary supporters from the club they love. Action is needed to prevent ticket costs from soaring and putting the sport out of reach for fans.

It is only through the united campaigns that were visible on Saturday at Celtic Park between both sets of supporters that will force real change.

All clubs across the Scottish Premiership should be making the game more accessible and affordable to supporters. As Celtic supporters will know, gone are the days where you get the odd friendly or Champions League qualifier on the season ticket. There are no benefits anymore. But it’s not just a Celtic issue. It’s a Scottish football one.

Hopefully Saturday’s display will gain media attraction and that the agenda of ‘ticket pricing’ remains prevalent at any future games at Celtic Park until the issue is resolved. However the idea of £20 admission seems unlikely with the Scottish game very much reliant on ticket  revenue given the low level of broadcasting income in comparison to other leagues around Europe. Surely £30 per ticket would be acceptable but of course that will never be agreed as the Glasgow Derby prices are approaching double that for away supporters – and there’s no shortage of takers.

Hibernian v Hearts, Scottish Premiership. Hibernian win the edinburgh derby at Easter Road, on 2 March 2025. Photo Craig McAllister IPSI/ MAGO

Here’s a poser for you. Imagine if theRangers offered Celtic fans the entire Broomloan with ticket priced at £100 each, no concessions. Do you think they’d fill it? If you look at Oasis concerts, if you wanted to pick one up for Wembley at the weekend apparently £3k was the going rate.

Celtic for all their faults would not be the biggest problem to limiting the price of match tickets for the Scottish Premiership matches (outside of the Glasgow Derby), as they have less to lose than the other sides other than theRangers.

The other strange point on this subject is the policy of some clubs, like for instance Kilmarnock, to restrict the number of away fans when they have thousands of empty seats at every home game.  Talking of Kilmarnock…

Conor Spence

Read this on the next page…Kettlewell’s still boiling mad about Celtic’s penalty

Kettlewell’s still boiling mad about Celtic’s penalty

Stuart Kettlewell at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Kilmarnock manager Stuart Kettlewell reveals that he sought clarification with officials abroad over Celtic’s penalty that was given at Rugby Park TWO WEEKS ago…

Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring the winner for Celtic at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Kelechi Iheanacho netted his debut goal for the Hoops in the 96th minute after Lewis Mayo was penalised for a handball as the ball struck his arm from close range following a deflection off his teammate Robbie Deas.

John Beaton allowed play to continue initially, but VAR official Matthew MacDermid recommended an on-filed review, prompting the referee to consult the pitch side monitor, resulting in the penalty being given.

Iheanacho’s winner secured all three points for Brendan Rodgers’ side just over 10 minutes after David Watson had levelled the score for the home side with a powerful header.

Stuart Kettlewell at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Kettlewell expressed his frustration with the refereeing during the match and suggested that his concerns have been supported by both SFA and international officials.

Speaking via Scottish Football Social Club, the outraged Killie boss said: “It’s difficult for me how much I can disclose and what I can say. What I can say is that I have since had a really good, lengthy conversation and an explanation as to what was seen and what the decision was.

“I’d spoken about it after, but I believe that we’re going to see some disappointed people in Scottish football if that’s what’s seen deemed a penalty kick that ricocheted off a foot and onto an arm from such close proximity.

“It would be my understanding, and again, I need to be careful, I’m not trying to quote anybody here, I would be surprised if we see that again as a penalty throughout the season. I think that would be fair to say.”

Kettlewell added: “There has been some serious work done behind the scenes, not just in Scotland, but, speaking to other associations, other officials to pick their brains, ‘Would you give that in France, or would you give that in Germany’ or whatever?

“And I think the general consensus is that people don’t want to see it as a penalty. That doesn’t help us on the day. Of course, it doesn’t.”

“But I think that me saying that lines up with what you guys felt, what I think everybody in Scottish Football felt after that game,” Kettlewell continued.

“And I think it becomes so difficult for defenders. I would argue that was terrific defending from Robbie Deas and Lewis Mayo and the consequence of a block where your foot is and a ricochet from half a yard. So, I think, we all agree that it can’t be a penalty and we don’t want it seen as a penalty.”

It’s swings and roundabouts on last minute penalty decisions taken at Rugby Park when Celtic are in town, here’s one from August 2023 that knocked Celtic out of the League Cup. This one wasn’t given.

Kilmarnock v Celtic – Viaplay Cup – Second Round – The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park Celtic’s Sead Haksabanovic is fouled by Kilmarnock’s Lewis Mayo during the League Cup match at The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park, Sunday August 20, 2023. Photo Steve Welsh

Conor Spence

Continue reading content from The Celtic Star on the next page…

Celtic defender posts positive message after return from injury…

Auston Trusty of Celtic FC (C) celebrates after scores the first goal during Como Cup match played between Al-Ahli and Celtic FCat Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

Celtic defender Auston Trusty has returned to training after an injury layoff with plantar fasciitis. The USA Internationalist has been sidelined with the foot injury for the last few weeks but posted a positive message on Twitter as he returned to training at Lennoxtown.

The former Sheffield United defender posted an update on Tuesday evening ahead of Celtic’s Europa League meeting with Portuguese side Braga.

Trusty said that he wanted to ‘pick up where he left off’ as he looks to reclaim that starting role from Liam Scales. Trusty impressed in pre-season and his absences caused concern amongst supporters but it soon became clear that he had suffered an injury.

Trusty was very impressive in the UCL last season partnering beside CCV. The USA pair will have the World Cup next season in their plans and that Wilmer require them both to play regularly to catch the attention to Mauricio Pochettino.

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