Celtic have placed tickets on general sale for their upcoming Europa League fixtures after thousands of season ticket holders opted not to take up their seats.
Supporters logging into the club’s ticketing system this week were greeted with a sea of blue dots across the stadium map — each dot representing a seat available for purchase.
Photos from Celtic’s ticketing website.
The sheer volume tells its own story. Demand is far lower than in previous European campaigns.
Several factors are at play. Many Celtic fans have already pulled out of the Home Cup Ticket Scheme in protest at the board, while others are choosing not to buy European tickets at all. It follows a turbulent summer that saw Celtic exit the Champions League qualifiers and endure a transfer window widely branded a failure.
The first home group game against Braga next Thursday hasn’t been helped by UEFA’s scheduling either. The 17:45 kick-off time is awkward for working fans and families, and it has already been cited as a reason why some won’t attend.
For a club that prides itself on its European nights at Celtic Park, the sight of empty seats would be a sharp contrast to the atmosphere that has defined so many past occasions. It also underlines the strength of supporter frustration.
Once they go on general sale, it will be interesting to see how that plays out.
Celtic face Red Star Belgrade away first, before Braga’s visit. What should have been nights to savour are now carrying the added backdrop of supporter unrest, with the boardroom crisis showing no sign of easing.
