For too long, Scottish football has been weighed down by tradition masquerading as entitlement. As Aberdeen prepares to face Celtic in the Scottish Cup Final on the 24th of May, we find ourselves yet again facing a tired, outdated debate: ticket allocations. In any modern footballing nation, a showpiece final should be shared, balanced, and fair. It’s a tradition that has persisted for far too long and it’s time we finally call it out for what it is: unfair.
For decades, Scottish football has been caught in a cycle of inequality that undermines the spirit of competition. The idea that either club should have ‘their own’ stadium ends or even their preferred dressing rooms in a neutral venue like Hampden is not just archaic, it’s fundamentally unjust. This isn’t just about Aberdeen. It’s about the principle of fair play and the desperate need to modernise the thinking at the heart of Scottish football.
Of course, I understand the need for corporate and sponsor-driven tickets. Every major event requires a degree of commercial allocation; this is a reality of modern sport. But once those obligations are fulfilled, the remaining tickets should be split equally between both competing clubs. That’s not just good policy; it’s basic sporting integrity. To his great credit Aberdeen FC Chairman Dave Cormack fought hard to ensure the clubs fans received a decent allocation of 20,000 despite the authorities only offering an original allocation of 16,800. Astonishingly, this was only achieved after Mr Cormack agreed to commit to underwriting the cost of any unsold tickets. It beggars’ belief that in this modern age a club owner has to take such drastic measures to ensure ‘fair play’.
Here in Scotland, the “bigger club” argument still dominates. Celtic and Rangers routinely receive the majority of tickets at Hampden, based on historical precedence or expected demand. But should that expectation outweigh fairness? Should fans of a club like Aberdeen, whose supporters have followed their team loyally, across the country and even into Europe, miss out on their rightful place at a national final because they have a smaller overall fanbase?
A cup final is not a home game. It’s not a league fixture. It’s a neutral occasion, one meant to celebrate the best of our game, to unite communities and reward supporters who’ve backed their teams through thick and thin. Allocating the majority of tickets to one club dilutes that sense of occasion and alienates a significant part of the footballing public.
In other countries, cup finals are treated with a more equitable mindset. The same is true in many other European leagues, where fairness, not fanbase size, dictates access. What message are we sending if we continue down this path? That unless you’re part of the Glasgow duopoly, your voice and your support matters less? That’s a deeply damaging precedent in a league already struggling for wider competition.
Aberdeen fans deserved better. So do fans of every other club that dares to dream of Hampden glory. It’s time to modernise our approach and bring balance back to our showpiece events. The Scottish Cup Final should be a celebration of football, not a reminder of its inequalities. Oh, by the way, if you’re wondering, Aberdeen fans sold out their allocation within 12 hours!