Rangers Fans Furious as Hibs Slash Away Allocation for Final Premiership Showdown in Leith
Tensions are simmering in Scottish football once again as Hibernian FC’s decision to drastically reduce Rangers’ away ticket allocation for the final match of the 2024/25 Premiership season sparks widespread outrage among the Ibrox faithful. With the stakes already high on the pitch, off-field decisions are now grabbing the headlines and fuelling a long-running debate about fairness, fan treatment, and ticketing policy in Scotland’s top flight.
Rangers are scheduled to round off their domestic campaign away to Hibernian on Sunday, May 17th at Easter Road—a fixture that could have significant consequences for both sides. For Rangers, it could potentially be a title-deciding match or one that secures Champions League qualification. For Hibs, it could mark the culmination of a stunning European push under interim manager and club legend David Gray, who has guided the Edinburgh side to a 17-match unbeaten run in the league and seven consecutive home wins.
With momentum, excitement, and anticipation building among the Hibs support, the club announced this week that they will be slashing away ticket allocations for both Rangers and Dundee United in their final two home games of the season. Rangers’ traditional away allocation of around 3,800 has now been cut down to just 1,500, a reduction of more than 60%.
Hibs explained the reasoning in a club statement, citing the “incredible run of form” and “greater demand for home tickets” as the motivation behind the decision. “The special atmosphere at Easter Road, combined with the team’s incredible run of form, has seen a greater demand for home tickets,” the club stated. “As we look to create a raucous atmosphere for our final two home fixtures of the season, we have reduced our opponents’ away allocations to provide more tickets to Hibernian FC supporters! For both games against Dundee United and Rangers, Hibs supporters can purchase tickets in the South Stand.”
But while the club presents the move as a response to fan demand and home support enthusiasm, Rangers fans—and many neutrals—see it differently. To them, the decision smacks of petty gamesmanship, delivered at a crucial moment in the season when thousands of away fans had hoped to travel in support of their team. Some had already arranged transport and accommodation, expecting the standard allocation to stand, only to be left disappointed and, in many cases, out of pocket.
What frustrates fans most is the timing. The post-split fixtures were only confirmed this week, meaning away fans have had little time to adapt, and now face a scramble for tickets or refunds. Many see the move as a cynical attempt to tilt the balance in Hibs’ favour for a crucial match, at the expense of one of the most passionate travelling supports in the country.
This incident isn’t happening in isolation. In fact, Hibs have something of a history when it comes to cutting Rangers’ allocation. The club sparked controversy back in April 2018 when they reduced Rangers’ ticket numbers for another final-day clash—a game that ultimately became one of the most famous in Scottish football history as it ended in a sensational 5-5 draw. That decision left Rangers infuriated and marked the beginning of a tit-for-tat trend in Scottish football that’s only intensified in recent years.
Following that episode, Rangers themselves reduced Celtic’s allocation at Ibrox, cutting the traditional 7,000-strong away crowd in the Broomloan Stand to just 800 for the following season’s Old Firm derbies. Celtic responded in kind, and the “allocation war” between the two Glasgow giants dominated headlines, debates, and fan conversations for years.
Recently, there has been progress between Rangers and Celtic in resolving the issue. The two clubs have agreed to a 5% allocation deal for away supporters in derby fixtures, and Rangers took a travelling support to Parkhead in March 2025, where they witnessed a dramatic 3-2 victory. Celtic are now expected to return to Ibrox with a similar away allocation in May. That agreement is viewed by many as a positive step forward in restoring some normality and parity to one of the most iconic rivalries in world football.
However, the wider problem persists across the league. This season alone has seen multiple incidents where clubs have altered or reduced away allocations—often with little notice and to the detriment of travelling supporters. Just recently, Aberdeen cut Hibs’ allocation for a crucial clash at Pittodrie on April 26th, further underlining the growing trend. Clubs are increasingly prioritising home ticket sales or perceived competitive advantage over tradition and supporter fairness.
Critics argue that the SPFL has failed to act decisively to prevent these disputes. Currently, there are no standardised rules governing away allocations in the Scottish Premiership, leaving it up to individual clubs to decide on a case-by-case basis. This creates an uneven playing field, where fans often bear the brunt of sudden decisions and inconsistent policies.
Supporters groups across the country, from Rangers to Aberdeen to Dundee United, have voiced concern about the lack of regulation. For them, away days are not just about football—they’re about community, culture, and loyalty. Fans who travel the length and breadth of the country deserve better than to be treated as an afterthought or an inconvenience. Many are now calling for the SPFL to introduce mandatory minimum allocation rules—possibly a percentage of total stadium capacity or fixed thresholds agreed before the season begins.
Others suggest there should be a review mechanism in place, whereby any drastic reduction in allocation post-split must be justified and approved by the league. This would ensure that clubs cannot make opportunistic decisions late in the campaign that disadvantage away fans purely for short-term benefit.
As for Hibs, the jury is still out on whether they can actually sell out the additional home tickets they’ve made available. There’s scepticism among Rangers supporters that the Easter Road club will manage to fill the South Stand, and if swathes of empty seats appear on the day, it will only add fuel to the fire.
Ultimately, this issue transcends club rivalries. While Rangers fans are understandably the most affected this time around, similar decisions have hurt fans of other clubs over the years. The underlying issue is a lack of consistency and transparency in how away ticket allocations are managed.
The final match of the season should be a celebration of football, passion, and drama. Instead, many fans are being left feeling marginalised, exploited, or ignored. If Scottish football truly values its supporter culture, it’s time the governing bodies stepped up and took real action.
The ball is now in the SPFL’s court.
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