CELTIC has agreed to carry out a review following complaints that facilities for the infirm and disabled both inside and outside Parkhead need to be improved.
The Hoops supporters and shareholders group, the Celtic Trust called for an "urgent and comprehensive" review saying fans using wheelchairs or are visually impaired who are positioned at pitch level for games and no matter how bad the weather is there is "no shelter".
The Trust said the stadium design while conducive to providing a "great atmosphere" during matches is "very steep" and lacks lifts, making access seats "difficult" for fans who are not fit due to advancing age or illness.
There was also concern that private parking for cars around the stadium was already "very difficult" while there are moves by Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland to restrict it even further.
Celtic have already criticised the plans which involve banning parking within a mile of Parkhead on match days, saying it was neither "appropriate or workable".
The Trust said a lack of public transport to points near the stadium meant fans have a "significant walk" to Celtic Park. And for those supporters with limited mobility the lack of rest or seating areas on the way and toilet facilities outside the stadium made the process "even more difficult".
Group members have put forward a resolution calling for a review to the next Celtic AGM on November 15, saying: "Celtic prides itself on being 'a club open to all' yet for those supporters with disabilities and/or additional support needs, actually accessing matches can be a challenge."
The green border marks out the proposed event day parking zone
The resolution "calls on the board and management of Celtic FC to undertake an urgent and comprehensive review of the facilities, within the stadium and its environs, for those supporters with disabilities, mobility issues, and additional support needs, and in so doing identify ways in which to improve the match day experience for these vulnerable groups.
"This review should be undertaken together with the Celtic Disabled Supporters Association, to whom a full report on progress should be made, in time for a scheduled programme of improvements to be carried out in the close season of 2018."
The Celtic plc board has said in advance of the AGM that it Trust's proposal was "in the best interests of the company and its shareholders" and directors were intending to vote in favour.
The board said: "Celtic prides itself on being ' a club open to all' and is committed to taking reasonable and practical steps to address the requirements of supporters with disabilities and/or additional support needs to obtain safe and secure access to our premises and to enjoy the match day experience at Celtic Park. We seek to treat all of our supporters, customers and visitors fairly and with respect at all times.
"The club is committed to continuing to improve facilities and is happy to undertake a review with the CDSA, report to the CDSA on progress and to schedule a programme of improvements to be carried out in the close season of 2018.
"An update on how the club intends to address the issue of creating places for those supporters who are on the waiting list and have the disabilities described in the resolution will be provided at the [AGM].
Celtic says it already has regular meetings with the CDSA, and has previously made a number of improvements to the stadium and surrounding area, including a brand new facility in an elevated and sheltered area of the stadium for 29 supporters using wheelchairs and their companions. The area was purpose built and designed to the specification discussed with the CDSA, who the club board said "played a significant role in helping to create this new facility".
The section provides a dedicated meeting area and catering facilities along with lift access.
The new facility took the number of spaces available for wheelchair users to 187 plus their companions.
Directors said improvements to the lifts in the East stand have also improved access to elevated, sheltered viewing positions in the upper East stand.
The club also provided facilities for visually impaired supporters with 38 seats allocated for each match, along with headsets providing match commentary.
For visiting supporters, the club had installed a new elevated platform which is easily accessible and sheltered, providing a "better view of the match" for wheelchair users in this part of the stadium.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel