Join thousands of fans who have signed up to our Celtic newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

BACK in the days when mortgage payments were problems only the adults in the family had to contend with and season tickets were affordable, I received a letter from Celtic.

It was a small leaflet welcoming me, as an Aberdeen fan, to Celtic Park for the coming season.

This was no mistake, they had not sent the letter in error.

Within the leaflet the late Tommy Burns explained that he felt the atmosphere at Celtic games was always enhanced when there was a strong away support, and that he hoped other supporters would come and back their team in Glasgow from the away end.

This was sent to all opposition season ticket holders. I thought it was a brilliant piece of marketing, and I happily took Mr Burns up on his offer to watch the Dons lose both away games against his side that season.

In those days Celtic were challenging Rangers, they were building a new stadium and getting themselves back on their feet. Celtic fans more than any should appreciate the increased demand for tickets when your club starts to taste success again.

Earlier this season, Aberdeen raised eyebrows when they cut Celtic's ticket allocation for Pittodrie, going from 3800 to 2000.

It was a perfectly justifiable move.

(Image: Sunday Mail)

For years, with the team saving the worst of their mediocrity for games against Celtic, you couldn't give the tickets away and therefore it made perfect sense to give the visiting support a vast chunk of tickets.

However, when demand increases from your own fans, of course you are going to try and sell as many as you can to them first, which Aberdeen did this season.

It takes an astonishing level of arrogance to suggest no longer being handed 20% of the available tickets is somehow a slight to your club and your support, and that Celtic should be entitled to tickets for an Aberdeen home game ahead of the club's own fans.

To reason that view with claims of glory-hunting, and questioning where these Aberdeen fans have been for years, is laughable when Celtic have won 20 major trophies between Aberdeen's last two League Cup wins.

poll loading Do you agree with Andrew, do Celtic have a cheek complaining about their ticket allocation at Pittodrie? 0+ VOTES SO FAR YES NO

The Bhoys aren't selling out games at the moment due to boredom at winning the league, yet expect Aberdeen fans to flock to the stadium to fill it when they're finishing 8th three years in a row.

Shock horror, more fans are enticed to the ground now that the standard is improving and the team is worth watching. This phenomenon is not unique to the North-East of Scotland.

Many would look at Aberdeen's crowds over the years and actually feel the numbers they have taken all over the country was more deserving than successive teams of the past were due, and in fact the Red Army have shown a level of loyalty unmatched by most.

Now, with Aberdeen heading to Celtic Park on March 1 for a rare top of the table clash, the likelihood of a letter arriving from Ronny Deila and Peter Lawwell encouraging Aberdeen fans to the game is nil to none.

Going by recent Celtic home games, there could be as many as 20,000 empty seats at what is the biggest league fixture of the season for both clubs.

WATCH THE LATEST RECORD SPORT SHOW:

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Despite this, Aberdeen's request for more than a meagre 1800 tickets has been turned down.

Is it tit for tat? If it is someone explain to Celtic being given 10% of the stadium capacity is a better deal than being given 3%.

If the attitude is "That'll teach them" then they forget Aberdeen still have another move to pull.

What if Celtic can win the league at Pittodrie after the split? Should Aberdeen just hand them 3% of the tickets (around 600) and lock thousands of away fans out?

Aye, that'll teach the Dons right enough.

Whether Aberdeen fans have travelled to Parkhead in high numbers before is irrelevant. They want to go now when the demand is not there from the home support.

There is something wrong when clubs would rather see empty seats than a full and noisy stadium.

Is there a segregation issue? Are there season ticket holders in the accompanying section? If so, with weeks until the game are these issues could have been solved, considering for years Dons season ticket holders have been moved to accommodate Old Firm fans.

On the same day Deila is talking about how we need to package the SPFL better, and how impressed he was at the noise created at the Celtic-Rangers fixture, his club are making a mockery of the one stand-out game on the Premiership fixture list that could help sell our league.

What message does it send to Sky and BT or viewers in other countries (who, if they increase, could help swing a better TV deal for Scottish football in future) when a top of the table clash is played in a half empty ground, with a tiny away support packed away in a corner watching from behind a pillar?

Aye, this is Scottish football. Fancy paying us £5 billion for it?

TACKLE THE RECORD SPORT QUIZ: