Old Firm: Surely Celtic vs Rangers should be free to watch on TV – Hayley Matthews

I'm no football expert and I certainly don't pretend to understand all the rules, neither do I know who plays who, transfer deadline stuff or, to be quite honest, anything technical or complex that's to do with the game.
Rangers vs Celtic games attract big crowds but given people cannot go to the match or watch it on TV in pubs, Hayley reckons the game should be free to watch (PIcture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)Rangers vs Celtic games attract big crowds but given people cannot go to the match or watch it on TV in pubs, Hayley reckons the game should be free to watch (PIcture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
Rangers vs Celtic games attract big crowds but given people cannot go to the match or watch it on TV in pubs, Hayley reckons the game should be free to watch (PIcture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

I do, however, appreciate the enormity and importance of the massive upcoming event that is the Old Firm match – it's just huge!

I should be a Hibs fan, having family ties to Leith, however Mr Hayley is a fan of the Celtic and has been unsuccessful in getting our eldest to support them, and so I feel a bit obliged to demonstrate a soft spot for his team.

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I've also been told they are apparently very close to doing a "10 in a row", which just makes this Old Firm game even more important as well as a massive deal.

Don't shoot the messenger, these "10 in a row" whisperings in my ear are from a very serious Celtic fan not wanting Rangers to put a stop to it – so the importance of this weekend’s game really hasn't been lost on me, for both Celtic and Rangers fans.

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What has been lost on me though is why the Government hasn't put measures in place to help fans get access to something so big, because die-hard supporters will go to any length to watch it, despite big Nik telling everyone to "stay in the hoose!"

Surely they know the huge numbers of people throughout Scotland eager to watch this game. With no house mixing or pubs, those wanting to watch the match will be left nibbling at their finger nails because not everyone has the luxury of a Sky Sports package.

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So with the FM's warning to fans not to travel to Blackpool to watch the match, I think her advice will be falling on deaf ears.

Why is no one screening it publicly and free, avoiding any underhand mixing and watching in groups? It now makes sense to me why there was the recent announcement about the pubs shutting.

Could you imagine for a second, an Old Firm taking place during a pandemic without this being done? I wouldn't want to be the one telling fans not to get to drunk watching the football in the pub, or to stay at home or even worse still, "if you don't have access to watch it at home, don't dare think about going to your mates with a six-pack”.

I think absolutely that the pubs should still be closed, however, with such a big event, surely giving some access to the match on "council TV" would mean there's going to be no sneaking about to other people's houses to watch it.

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I'm not sure how Mr Hayley will get access to the match on Saturday but what I do know is that I won't be allowed to watch it. This is because any previous Old Firm match that I've sat beside him watching, Celtic have lost and it's been my fault, of course – I'm bad luck at football matches. I jest though because If I did have that kind of power, I wouldn't be fixing football matches, I'd be fixing the Euromillions!

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