By Alan Hutton

25th Oct, 2023 | 3:57pm

Ex-Rangers star rips into Hearts after Celtic ticket drama takes new twist

Hearts will continue to restrict Celtic fan allocation regardless of the number of empty seats – and Hoops fans have every right to “feel aggreived”.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former Rangers defender Alan Hutton said there is nothing the Hoops can do to increase their allocation at Tynecastle because Hearts won’t allow it.

The Celts were given just over 500 tickets for their travelling fans heading to Edinburgh for the 4-1 triumph last Sunday after the Jambos reduced away allocations for all Scottish Premiership teams excluding rivals Hibs.

The club cited the demand from their own supporters as reason for not expanding the away section but the stands of Tynecastle were noticeably empty on Sunday (22 October).

Speaking on Clyde Superscoreboard (19 October), former Hoops defender Mark Wilson claimed that Celtic are “hypocrites” who, alongside Rangers, are the sole cause of the allocation debacle in Scotland.

According to The Sun (23 October), the attendance of 17,608 was the lowest of any Hearts home game in the league for 17 months.

But Hutton suggested the low turnout from home fans won’t convince the Edinburgh club to up their allocation.

“I think it comes down to the home side,” he told Football Insider.

“If that is what they want to do then it is up to them, it is their home game. I think where Celtic fans, or whoever the travelling support are, feel aggrieved is that they know they can fill their allocation.

“I thought there was a lot of empty seats. You understand towards the end they were never going to come back or win the game and all the fans filter out.

“But at the start of the game when you look around and see empty seats, you do think you could fill them easily. But it comes down to the home side and if they are not willing to give out more then there is not a lot that you can do.“

In other news, major update on Celtic signing Real Madrid star Lunin.