Celtic v Rangers crowd split: Matt O'Riley has say on atmospheres and upcoming derbies

Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley’s take on the glut of derbies potentially brewing for next month might be considered along the line of never mind the quantity, feel the wrath.

The 21-year-old Londoner, who has been handed a call-up for the nation of his mother in being named in the latest Denmark Under-21s squad, has enjoyed the sensory overload created by his club hosting their bitter rivals Rangers in their own backyard. With the potential for three meetings in April – a run that would be unprecedented – O’Riley is in line to experience all this match-up has to offer.

The 3-0 Parkhead thumping handed out to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men on February 3 by Ange Postecoglou’s men was played in front of only home fans, as has been the policy of both clubs this season. There have been suggestions that the lowly 800-seat away allocations may be re-introduced for the remaining two league fixtures between the title challengers. The first of these will roll round at Ibrox on April 3, with their final cinch Premiership meeting likely to be plumped in for one of the early post-split weekends that fall in the last two weekends of the month. In between those will come the Scottish Cup semi-final date, probably Easter Sunday, their pair in Monday’s night draw and that could prove something of an anomaly in this current age.

The days of one end of both Celtic Park and Ibrox being reserved for rival fans when the ancient adversaries meet could be gone forever. That supplies their pairing in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden with an added spice. It is potentially one of the few occasions in this era they will meet with a 50-50 supporter split.

“I’m actually really looking forward to that,” O’Riley said. “It will probably create an