Martin O’Neill knows enough about Old Firm derbies to understand that the football is only part of the story. On Friday, the Celtic manager watched Police Scotland walk into the training ground and underline that point in stark terms.
A short visit. A clear message.
“We had the police come in today, just a little 15-minute meeting to remind us of our behaviour, which I think is a timely reminder,” O’Neill said, as Celtic prepare for Sunday’s Premier Sport Cup quarter-final at Ibrox.
This is not a routine fixture briefing. Both Celtic and Rangers were ordered last month to play their next home Scottish Cup ties behind closed doors after last season’s quarter-final at Ibrox descended into disorder off the pitch. Celtic won that tie on penalties. The fallout has lingered ever since.
On Sunday, Celtic return to Ibrox for the first time since that chaotic cup night. The Scottish champions did beat Rangers 3-1 at Celtic Park in May in the league, but going back across the city carries a different weight, a different temperature.
The authorities know it. So do the clubs.
Behaviour under the microscope
O’Neill did not dress up the reason for the police visit. It was about control. On the pitch and off it.
Asked what was discussed, the Northern Irishman pointed to the wider context.
“They didn't mention this, but I would have assumed that one of the things that would be considered is what happens in the field of play, because these things can be taken further,” he said.
“You don't want any sort of punch-ups for a start. Secondly, you don't want excessive celebrations, stuff like that.
“But I think it's just the behaviour in the light of what has happened in recent fixtures. I think that the conversation with the police wouldn't have taken place had not recent events been brought up to us.”
The message is obvious: every tackle, every goal, every celebration carries consequences in a derby that already lives on a knife edge. The footballers are being told, in no uncertain terms, that their actions can inflame or calm what happens around them.
Old Firm without away fans
As if the rivalry needed another twist, this season’s Old Firm league and League Cup meetings will be played without away supporters. The Scottish Professional Football League has confirmed that no travelling fans will be present at these derbies, stripping away one of the most distinctive features of the fixture.
For O’Neill, it changes the feel, if not the scale, of the contest.
“I think the games themselves almost take care of themselves in that sense,” he said.
“It'll be strange in many aspects not to have any away fans in our area. I always felt as if it would give you a crumb of comfort in some description.
“Nervously looking forward to it, excitedly looking forward to it.”
Celtic will head to Ibrox with momentum and a cushion. They have won the last three derbies since Rangers’ 3-1 league victory at Celtic Park in January and already sit five points clear in the Premiership after just six games. Form, though, rarely walks into this fixture unchallenged.
Pressure on Rangers, edge for Celtic
Across the city, Derek McInnes is still feeling his way into the Rangers job. The new manager has endured a stuttering start, drawing criticism from his own support, yet he brings his team into this tie on the back of four straight wins. The mood has steadied, but not settled.
O’Neill knows exactly where the pressure will land if Celtic strike first.
“I suppose if you get in front in the game, that makes them anxious,” he said. “Talking about getting in front and getting in front are two different things. The crowd will be right behind their team, which you would expect.
“We just do our best. We know that we're up against a very fine side. We're up against a crowd that can make a difference. I'd be delighted to be celebrating something in the game.”
That last line hangs in the air. Celebrate – but not too much. Compete – but control yourself. Win – but remember who is watching and what came before.
On Sunday at Ibrox, the stakes will be familiar: a place in the semi-finals, bragging rights in Glasgow, a chance to crank up the pressure in a season that has barely begun. This time, though, every flashpoint will be judged not just by the referee, but against the shadow of that last quarter-final and the quiet 15-minute warning delivered by Police Scotland.
