Rangers supporters from Northern Ireland face an anxious wait to find out if it will be possible for them to attend the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden on Easter Sunday.
The situation revolves around the current P&O Ferries impasse with its ship that services the Larne to Cairnryan route currently hit with a government embargo. As a result, there are knock-on consequences for football fans (primarily of Rangers and Celtic) who regularly depend upon the Irish Sea routes to get over to the games.
Rangers is aware of the issues regarding P&O for the SC semi-final and is looking into possible ways to help NI supporters for this game.
Air and sea options being looked into.
I will share any further info ASAP.@rangersfcsa @ibroxrocks @GrandmasterSuck @4ladshadadream
— Graeme Hanna (@graeme818) March 30, 2022
For normal home games involving the Old Firm clubs, supporters travel using both Stena and P&O routes from Belfast and Larne, respectively. This is based on proximity and the location of the supporters clubs and groups who arrange the travel.
The boats are never mixed due to obvious issues around the passionate rivalry and it only tends to be for home games that there is large organised travel – now here is where it gets a bit complicated.
For Old Firm games at Hampden, the ferries are used on an alternate basis by the supporters and this time, the Rangers fans were due to take the P&O via Larne meaning a predicament given the bigger problem currently unresolved.
This has led to officials at Ibrox getting in touch with fan reps to see what, if anything, can be done to support them with additional air and sea options being explored.
A Belfast Telegraph report today stated that Stena are proactively looking to see if they can facilitate another crossing, but security issues come into the equation as well with other authorities involved.
To compound the misery for some supporters, the North Ulster Federation of RSCs have been left to struggle to make arrangements for this weekend’s Old Firm clash at Ibrox with P&O being their usual carrier. The Europa League tie against Braga will also be affected – it is a logistical nightmare, overall.
It is a fluid situation, with government and hauliers deeply involved as well as many other industries – hopefully the situation can be resolved for the better, as soon as possible. Our thoughts also have to be conveyed to those workers who were cruelly shafted by P&O chiefs, leading to this crisis.
Air options with the usual carriers are now very pricey, costing hundreds of pounds for a return trip to cover the Old Firm semi-final and with just over two weeks to go, the Rangers supporters face a difficult wait to secure their journey, individually or as part of the organised clubs, to get to Hampden ironically with gold-dust tickets already in possesion.