Tangerines and Footballs – Green Brigade’s Protest has wider importance | OneFootball

Penny must drop or many supporters will soon find football is unaffordable. Rival supporters missing the entire point of Saturday’s protest at Tannadice. There was a time when supporters were untied in this sort of situation, not any more…

The Celtic supporters let their feelings be known about the ridiculous ticket pricing in Scottish football in the form of a protest during Saturday’s title clinching clash at Dundee United. The Tannadice club cashed in on hosting Celtic’s title party by increasing ticket prices for away fans by a huge 25% margin on the price charged for Celtic’s last visit in December 2024.

Proceedings were halted on two separate occasions as the Celtic supporters showered the pitch with tangerines and then footballs.

Fruits of our Labour ticket price protest. Celtic supporters at Tannadice. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

The Celtic fans protests were effect, getting the message across and achieving widespread coverage in the media

This was well documented as the game was being broadcast on SKY TV, and it caught the attention of the entire nation, which of course was the entire point of such a pubic showing of displeasure.

You’d think that the Celtic supporters would have the backing of the ordinary everyday supporter up and down the country as such outrageous financial hikes affect them in very much the same way.

‘Self entitled’ accusations

But no, sadly they’ve been criticised by fellow supporters. Accusations such as being ‘self entitled’ been aimed in our direction by some for simply daring to show our displeasure at such outrageous pricing which is taking advantage of the average hard working supporter.

Celtic banners at Tannadice. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

This isn’t just about Saturday’s game and Dundee United in general, it’s about every other club up and down the country including our own, who we have also been publicly critical of on several occasions.

Supporters used to stick together when it concerned fat cats getting richer at out benefit. Not any more sadly, the days of supporters protesting in unison against the system such as the 1988 Scottish cup final red card display jointly displayed by Celtic and Dundee United supporters at Thatcher are now long gone.

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Manchester City fans were also protesting

Last week Manchester City fans were protesting about the giant rise in ticket prices that make attending football matches unaffordable for so many.  The cost of the City tickets were actually mind bogglingly high. Maybe Scottish football won’t reach that levels but £42 to go to a game at Tannadice is not on.

Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

It’s £56 to watch the Glasgow Derby

This is NOT a club colours issue, it’s an issue that should be supporters collectively standing up for their collective interests against the clubs so that football remains reasonably priced and affordable to the ordinary fan. This weekend Celtic supporters are paying £56 for a ‘golddust’ ticket to go to Ibrox and theRangers supporters paid the same for their recent visit to Celtic Park.

Many supporters of both teams would not pay that but the demand far outweighs the supply and both clubs look after corporate supporters within their allocations. What is hidden though is that the home supporters are also paying this within their season tickets.

Daizen Maeda. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

St Johnstone made the correct call, made their money and also got the three points

A few weeks back St Johnstone’s new owners reckoned enough was enough with their stadium sitting embarrassingly half empty for their matches against the big two Glasgow clubs.  They changed their policy to give Celtic three stands which were filled by our support, at the standard price, and that had a bearing on the result. St Johnstone turned a 6-0 hammering for Celtics first visit into a 1-0 victory which could ultimately prove decisive if the Perth Saints can beat the drop.

Celtic subs wam up. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

All those empty seats at Tannadice on Saturday

Meanwhile at the weekend, while increasing the prices for away supporters to £42, Dundee United were offering their own fans tickets at a tenner. Even then it didn’t work and there were thousands of empty seats. Celtic won the match 5-0 so having re-arranged their seating plans – as St Johnstone did – Dundee United could have maintained their December prices, filled their stadium by allocating more seats to Celtic supporters, and probably made more than the thousands they fleeced from our support at the weekend with their grubby money grab.

Half empty stands on Sky Sports is a bad look for the Scottish Premiership

Sky Sports essentially want to show as many Celtic and theRangers away games as they can and that’s where their interest is and why they spend what they do. So stadiums with empty seats is a bad look and will not help attract further sponsorships. It’s a bad look.

Keep ticket prices affordable and do everything possible to fill the stadiums. It’s not rocket science, just plain old common sense.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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