'Old Firm ticketing row tedious and embarrassing' - Loy

Former Rangers striker Rory Loy says the ticketing row between Celtic and Rangers is becoming "tedious" and "embarrassing", and the clubs should aim to raise away allocations by next season.

Away fans have not been at recent Old Firm games, including Celtic's win at Ibrox in September, and there will not be any at Celtic Park on 30 December, but a small number of visiting supporters attended the first two league derbies last term.

"It's becoming rather tedious for me," Loy said, speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast. "You know, every time an Old Firm game rolls round, it's the same story.

"I think next year's a good marker. If the clubs can sit down and come to an agreement, however it's done, from the start of next season that the allocations go back up, trying to get back to where it was previously.

"I don't know if it'll ever get back to 7,000 but for me it's just becoming tedious now and it's the same thing, one club blaming the other.

"If we need to sacrifice three more derbies this year with no away fans then fine, but let's work towards getting away fans back in because it is our biggest game, and it's a little bit embarrassing the two clubs cannot come to any sort of agreement."