Paul Lambert Laments No Away Fans At Old Firm

The Old Firm has ‘no atmosphere’ without away fans.

That is according to former Celtic and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Paul Lambert who was speaking exclusively to us here at BoyleSports.

The Glasgow native had an illustrious playing career which saw him lift the Champions League in 1997 with Dortmund, beating a star-studded Juventus team in the final, and make almost 200 appearances for Celtic.

Lambert gave us his prediction for the Scottish League title race, was brutally honest about the impact of no away fans at Old Firm games, and had words of warning for Adam Idah after his loan move to Celtic.

Rangers have to win the last Old Firm game to Keep Title Hopes Alive

I think it is going to be really close, a lot is riding on the Old FiThe Old Firm has ‘no atmosphere’ without away fans.rm games at the end of the season. If the two of them keep winning and Celtic head to Ibrox and basically just don’t lose, then the title will be theirs.

If Rangers can win that game, then it is game on. The defining moment of the season will come at Parkhead, this season is much closer than people realise.

But it is going to be just edged by Celtic. They’ve got enough lads there who have the experience of winning titles and have been there before.

*Celtic are 10/11 to win the Scottish Premier League, just behind Rangers (4/5) per the latest football odds at BoyleSports.

Old Firm Not The Same Spectacle Without Away Fans

The Old Firm games are built on the support and the rivalry between the two sets of fans. Going back to my time, we used to get an allocation of about 7,000 for away fans and it always makes the game. Whoever made that decision needs their head read.

Not letting fans in is the wrong decision, everyone in the world wants to see that game. People all over the world have asked me if they can come to an Old Firm game. It’s just so different without away fans and really not the same spectacle. Whoever made that choice has taken something away from the game.

You can play Celtic vs Rangers on the moon and people would want to watch it, the ferocity and the size of the game means it is that desired. People want an atmosphere, and I tell those people who have never been to not even bother coming because there is no atmosphere.

No away fans at Old Firm games kills the atmosphere

The TV money in Scotland is nowhere near as good as it is down South, the Old Firm game is a unique game that everybody wants to see and watch. When you take those away fans from the respective stadiums, it certainly curtails it a wee bit.

I’ve been in the stadiums without away fans and it is just not the same without a shadow of a doubt. They need to bang their heads together in Scotland because it is taking away from what should be the biggest game of the season.

From the outside looking in; people must look at this game and be so perplexed as to why there are no fans there.

Adam Idah At Wrong Club if He Can’t Handle Celtic Pressure

The Hibs game would have given him a boost, but you don’t get time at Celtic to get up to speed – you have to hit the ground running. I know from my own time there that if you don’t get wins under your bell or you don’t perform then you feel the wrath of it.

I don’t make any apologies for that because that’s the gig, you have to know what is coming if you don’t perform. It doesn’t matter what league Celtic are playing in, the fans expect them to win because of the history attached to the club.

If you can’t handle that, then you are probably at the wrong club. I’m pretty sure he would have been earmarked as an Irish lad, he knows what Celtic is all about. But when you walk through the door, it becomes a little bit different.

*Celtic are the 6/5 favourites to win the Scottish FA Cup with the latest football betting markets at BoyleSports.

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