Union Bears banners on display during Glasgow derby after ticket dispute

Several large Union Bears banners were unfurled in the Rangers end at Celtic Park following a dispute between the clubs that ended with the ultras group being banned from the stadium.

Rangers initially rejected Celtic’s conditions that they could not distribute tickets to the group for Sunday’s William Hill Premiership clash and submitted a complaint to the Scottish Professional Football League.

They ultimately accepted their allocation of around 2,500 tickets after an SPFL board sub-committee refused to interfere with Celtic’s security measure.

A large Union Bears banner was unfurled before kick-off and a flag bearing the group’s insignia was flown.

Celtic’s decision followed major disorder following their Scottish Cup victory at Ibrox on March 8.

More than 100 Rangers fans, many from the section housing the Union Bears, charged towards the Broomloan Stand after visiting supporters spilled on to the pitch to celebrate and Celtic players and staff were caught up in the pitch invasion.

Celtic’s major ultras group, the Green Brigade, have only recently been allowed back into their own stadium after a ban that lasted about five months, following an incident involving stewards and police at a game against Falkirk.

Rangers branded Celtic’s decision to exclude the Union Bears as a “concerning precedent” and claimed it cut across the “spirit of the competition”.