Linfield host Celtic in the Champions League at Windsor Park this evening, with the main talking point around the opening minutes of the game concerning the attendance: the ground is half-full. Linfield were unable to sell out their allocation of tickets, while plans to sell tickets for a full stand to Celtic perished when the Glasgow club announced that they would not be taking up their allocation, citing security reasons.
The result was an eerie atmosphere:
Really strange atmosphere at Windsor Park. It's less than half-full and feels exactly that way.
— emmet malone (@emmetmalone) July 14, 2017
Celtic did not take up an official allocation, but as expected, a number of Celtic fans travelled and purchased tickets for the match. Linfield published a statement to advise supporters on the logistics of accommodating the travelling supporters.
Celtic were assigned an away end - the Kop - which they could enter via the Boucher Road only.
Important message from Linfield FC to Celtic fans who have tickets for this evening's game. pic.twitter.com/muQIzWsZ3L
— Mark Simpson (@BBCMarkSimpson) July 14, 2017
As a result, specific entrances were assigned to Celtic fans, which caught out some of the home fans, including Jim Wells, a politician with the DUP.
He was re-routed.
You couldn't make it up. The DUP's Jim Wells tries to get into Windsor Park at the entrance reserved for Celtic fans. He's been re-routed. pic.twitter.com/844ovfOtYa
— Mark Simpson (@BBCMarkSimpson) July 14, 2017
Ahead of the game, Brendan Rodgers voiced his disappointment regarding the Celtic ticketing allocation and perceived safety issues:
This is a game that the football club haven't been able to have assurances for the safety of their fans, which is sad for me.
Coming back to Northern Ireland, and a new Northern Ireland, being not able in some way to ensure supporters' safety is guarded, is a problem for me.
In all fairness my players have played in a lot of environments and lots of big pressure games and they are well used to it. But it is disappointing the supporters are not there.
Wherever they travel around the world the supporters are renowned for travelling in big numbers and behaving themselves. It is a shame for Linfield and Northern Ireland. Football is loved in this country and to have the two sets of supporters there would have been fantastic.
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