How times have changed in Scotland’s largest city.
Over the last three years Celtic and Rangers have been like strangers in the night as the financial capitulation of Glasgow’s blue half pushed this once mighty pair to opposite poles of the Scottish league system.
The famous Old Firm fixture — that at its best produced moments of majestic sporting theater and at its worst dragged in politics, religious bigotry and vocal support for paramilitary groups like the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), given the west of Scotland’s close historical links with Northern Ireland — has been absent as a result.
But not for much longer.
Celtic and Rangers meet this weekend in what is sure to be a highly-charged Scottish League Cup semifinal at Hampden Park.
The game is a sell-out and Glasgow’s respective green and blue tribes are abuzz with anticipation. A league above their great rivals, Celtic are overwhelming favorites.
Yet this football-mad city’s once proud sporting passions have tapered in recent years — on the field at least.
Attendances have fallen significantly at both clubs while the quality of player on display is vastly inferior to what was on offer as little as five years ago.
Rangers have also arguably provided as an authoritative guide as is possible in demonstrating how not to run a football club.
Their fans are in revolt, organizing boycotts with regards ongoing boardroom battles and the club’s perilous finances. The Ibrox side required emergency loans from shareholders to pay wages and avoid being wound up only this month.
Protests and picket lines aside, however, a number of supporters told CNN that the dearth of Old Firm matchups and the intense emotions they generate has also contributed to waning interests.
Post Old Firm era?
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“Some fans say we don’t need them and I can understand that point of view … but maybe (these) fans will alter their opinion once we beat them (on Sunday).”
Whether Celtic supporters of this mindset would admit to that is another matter.
For prominent Rangers fans like Ricki Neill, director of supporters group Rangers First, Celtic fans who say they don’t care about the rivalry are not being honest.
“Any Celtic fan that says they don’t want Rangers back, I think they’re lying.”
He added, “I think both Celtic and Rangers need each other … the (Premiership) has been boring without us”
Win or lose, new club or same club, the bickering and one-upmanship between these two clubs and sets of supporters will continue well beyond Sunday.
As always in Glasgow, some may choose to recognize this while others may not.
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Aleks Klosok contributed to this report
