HUNDREDS of Celtic fans from Belfast look set to miss out on watching their beloved Hoops on Saturday, as the late kick-off – coupled with roadworks outside Glasgow – have thrown a spanner in the works for supporters planning to attend the game.
Celtic face St Mirren in the Scottish Cup tomorrow. Normally Celtic fans leave these shores early on match day and return later that evening.
The 8.30pm boat from Cairnryan to Belfast is the last ferry departing on the return journey this Saturday, therefore, the 5.30pm kick-off against St Mirren at Parkhead would have made the journey from the stadium to the port tight enough. However, the journey home has been made virtually impossible for travelling fans after it was announced that there will be roadworks on the A77 which travels from Glasgow to Ayr.
With the game expected to finish around 7.30pm, this leaves supporters only 60 minutes to catch the ferry home.
Stena Line said that the late kick-off and the subsequent 90 minute addition to the journey time caused by the diversion "is problematic for fans travelling by road".
The delays have caused havoc for supporters who were hoping to travel for the cup tie on Saturday
Aidso Digney, from Éire Go Brách Celtic Supporters' Club in Belfast, said that Stena Line had been more than accommodating to work with the supporters.
"The half-five kick-off – along with the roadworks – messed everything up. It would mean an almost three hour wait, which just has a knock-on effect for the next day’s sailing and so on," he said.
The situation is a frustrating one for hundreds of fans who would have been planning a trip to the East End of Glasgow this weekend. With flights costing a hefty £163 one-way, many fans will now be forced to cheer on the Hoops from their comfort of their sofa this Saturday night.
