It was 7 words about a Rangers and Celtic stigma but Michael Beale is keen to clue outsiders on 'up there' – Hugh Keevins

It was only seven words long, a soundbite in the middle of a sentence.

But Michael Beale’s reference to Glasgow’s crowd segregation at derby matches spoke volumes. Beale’s Sunderland side had lost to Newcastle United in the FA Cup last weekend on a day when more than 6000 Geordies were allowed in the away end at the Stadium of Light. The former Rangers boss had been energised by the atmosphere generated by two sets of fans motivated by the first chance in eight years to face each other.

The winning team milked the moment by cheekily posing for a selfie in front of their support at the end. The kind of thing Celtic used to do back in the day when Leigh Griffiths was tying a green and white scarf around a goalpost at Ibrox after helping to dish out a ritualistic beating to his club’s greatest – but at the time skint – rivals. The kind of thing that brought to an end Celtic fans being given sole occupancy of Broomloan Stand on derby day.

The kind of thing that led to away fans at Old Firm games being reduced in number to hundreds in a game of directorial tit for tat. Then being removed from the matchday equation altogether in an act of mutual loathing. Beale casually dropped in the difficulty Celtic or Rangers would have in emulating what Sunderland had done by happily housing away fans in considerable number when he said: “They have their own problems up there.” Whatever could he have been talking about?

As if you need to ask. It’s a characterisation of a rivalry you couldn’t possibly dispute. It’s a stigma you’d want to remove from an iconic fixture if you could, wouldn’t you? But attitudes are so deeply ingrained and old habits die hard – so you can forget it. There will be no away fans at Ibrox or Celtic Park on derby