Sport

How Rangers could face nightmare

Published

9 months ago

February 29, 2024

Rangers could face a THIRD trip to face Kilmarnock this season if the current top six remains as it is for the post split.

With just five games to go before the split and the title race set to go down to the wire, thoughts are now turning to the annual SPFL fixture scheduling headache. Every season, the SPFL ensure that both Celtic and Rangers have played 19 home games and 19 away games. By the time the league splits, Celtic will have played 17 away and 16 at home, with Gers the other round. The next Old Firm fixture at Celtic Park on April 7 will even that up.

Depending on who makes the top six however, Rangers may have to travel to Ayrshire for a third time this season. League chiefs will be hoping that both Glasgow clubs will have played two of their top six rivals away from home twice already this season, and two of them at home. However, that will require a change of lineup as things stand.

The status quo would hand Celtic an extra home match against either Killie, St Mirren or Dundee, while Rangers will be sent on the road again to one of the same trio. However, things can still be balanced out if Hibs win the race for what is looking like the last remaining top six spot.

Nick Montgomery’s men are a point behind Dundee. Both Celtic and Rangers have already been to Easter Road twice this season, and would mean the Light Blues won’t lose a scheduled home clash against a top six opponent.

Gers lost at Rugby Park on the opening day, and were given an almighty scare by Derek McInnes’ men on Wednesday, who took the lead before Philippe Clement’s men dug in and turned it round to keep their two point cushion at the top of the table. Celtic have already lost twice at Rugby Park this season (once on league duty) and drew with them at home, which has lead many to cast Killie in the role of title kingmakers this season. And they could play a pivotal role during the final five matches of the season.

As for how SPFL chiefs decide who will go where, a number of factors are taken into account, as explained in a post-split Q&A: “We generally aim for the fewest switches possible and try to avoid reversing fixtures that have a key impact on the league title, the race for Europe and the battle to avoid relegation, but this is not always possible. We avoid reversing the big city derby matches and also consider what has happened with the post-split fixtures in previous years. ”

The final fixture before the split takes place on the weekend of April 13/14. The post split fixtures could be announced before that if the top and bottom six has been decided, although it’s likely to be at the start of the following week with the final Old Firm derby of the season at Parkhead likely to be on the first or second weekend – April 27/28 or May 4/5.