Celtic and Rangers ticket peace talks takes fresh twist as SPFL bosses poised to step in for major breakthrough

Celtic and Rangers remain a significant distance apart on any agreement to allow away fans back into the Old Firm derby, despite holding peace talks aimed at thrashing out a solution for the rest of the season.

And Record Sport understands the lockout could stay in place for the final two top flight showdowns unless both clubs are prepared to back down from their current positions and make a raft of compromises during the discussions. League bosses may yet have to step in to lay down the law ahead of the pair’s next meeting at Ibrox on April 6.

But the men on Hampden’s sixth floor are hoping the bitter rivals can come to agreement behind closed doors without being forced to intervene. Rangers submitted an official ‘request for determination’ to the SPFL ahead of their side’s trip to Parkhead on December 30 - after Celtic refused to hand over any match day tickets for the festive fixture. That was viewed as a tit-for-tat move following Celtic’s decision not to accept an away allocation of around 700 for the first derby of the season on the grounds of concerns over the safety and security of their supporters.

And, although the sub-committee largely backed the Ibrox club’s complaint, they stopped short of forcing Celtic to climb down at the 11th hour, citing a lack of information and an insufficient amount of time to fully examine all factors. That request, however, remains on the table and with more than three months to go before the feuding neighbours next meet on league business, the league has ample opportunity to reach its own decision.

Rangers will argue that they did offer a ‘fair and reasonable’ amount of seats and, furthermore, that they will be prepared to make the same number available for Celtic’s next