Hibs set for sell-outs as Old Firm visit

Back-to-back sell-outs are expected at Easter Road as Hibs prepare to welcome Celtic and Rangers within the space of four days.

Hibs fans at the derby in October

With Neil Lennon’s team on form and riding high in the Premiership, tickets for the eagerly-awaited double-header against the two Glasgow sides have been in high demand.

The Sunday lunchtime showdown with Celtic is already close to being sold out, with only a few dozen seats remaining available for purchase last night. Buoyed by a couple of competitive performances against Brendan Rodgers’ side in Glasgow this season, supporters are upbeat about Hibs’ prospects of becoming the first Scottish team to defeat the Premiership champions in 19 months. The match marks Celtic’s first visit to Easter Road for almost four years, with their last trip to Leith resulting in a 4-0 win over Terry Butcher’s Hibs team in January 2014.

The club also reports strong sales for the Rangers game next Wednesday, and another full house is forecast for what will the Ibrox side’s first visit to Easter Road since before the 2016 Scottish Cup final. Depending what happens in this weekend’s fixtures, Hibs, currently a point beneath both Rangers and Aberdeen, could have a chance to leapfrog the Glasgow side and move into second place in the Premiership. The intense rivalry which has developed between the two sides in recent seasons has made it one of the most appealing fixtures on the Scottish football calendar.

Hibs’ only previous sell-out this season came when 20,165 people attended the 1-0 victory over city rivals Hearts in October.