Caitlin Hayes tears into Rangers for 'letting women's football down' as Celtic star takes stand against fan lockout

Celtic women defender Caitlin Hayes took aim at Rangers for 'letting women's football down' by locking away fans out of Sunday's derby.

The Ibrox club announced at short notice over the weekend that all away tickets purchased for their top-of-the-table clash on Sunday were cancelled due to security concerns. No away fans were officially allowed in as the two sides battled out a thrilling 1-1 draw live on BBC Alba and many felt the showpiece fixture for the SWPL deserved better.

That was certainly the view from the small number of Celtic punters who did manage to wangle access to the ground. TV cameras caught the players celebrating in front of a tiny band of visiting fans, who sported T-shirts with the message 'football without fans is nothing.' And now defender Hayes, who lifted her shirt at full-time to display one of those T-shirts underneath, has let rip with a scathing social media statement.

She said: "Football without fans is nothing. Today women's football in Scotland was let down. In a weekend where the Emirates was sold out and the growth of the game took an applause, the same could not be said 401 miles away.

"You simply can't advertise a fixture based upon the opportunity to see representation on a stage, with the false intent to grow the game, when the same opportunity isn't there for the opposition. Take colours away and you're denying opportunity for young girls, in particular, to see what they can be, if they dream that dream. That dream isn't exclusive to the colours you wear but inclusive to all, just like the foundations women's football was built upon.

"Whatever the circumstances may be; don't host if you can't accommodate, plan and fund, accordingly. It's the reputation of the game that gets