Calls for football fan zones in Glasgow have been backed by the city’s Labour leader, as supporters were urged to “celebrate responsibly” ahead of the Scottish Cup final on Saturday.

Labour MSP Paul Sweeney suggested events should be arranged to accommodate fans celebrating their team’s success — and Cllr Redmond believes organised zones could offer “a safe and positive environment”.

He said better engagement is needed between the council and both Celtic and Rangers. An SNP spokesman said there have been talks with the clubs over fan zones, and the council would welcome further discussion.

The calls for action follow celebrations from Celtic fans on Saturday when thousands of people gathered around Trongate after the club’s premiership victory. 

Glasgow City Council reported a “substantial” amount of litter and debris after crowds dispersed as well as damage to bus stops and traffic signals. A spokesman said the disruption was “unacceptable”.

Ahead of the Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Rangers on Saturday, the council is reiterating its message from last week which urged fans to “celebrate safely, responsibly and with consideration for others”.

Cllr Redmond said his group believes “controlled fan zones can provide a safe and positive environment for supporters to come together and celebrate this momentous occasion”.

Glasgow Times: George RedmondGeorge Redmond (Image: Newsquest)

“We want to emphasise that the vast majority of football fans are decent, law-abiding citizens who want to celebrate their team’s success,” he added.

“It’s a small minority whose actions tarnish the sport’s reputation and the city.

“Controlled fan zones, properly managed and resourced, can help to ensure that celebrations are safe and enjoyable for everyone. This approach has been successfully implemented in other cities, and we believe it can be a positive step forward for Glasgow.

“We urge all fans to celebrate responsibly and with respect for others and the city.”

The Labour group hasn’t said who would be expected to cover the bill for organised events. 

The SNP spokesman said: “The council has been in discussion with both clubs to try and facilitate fan zones around recent celebrations. 

“Although proposals did not progress, we would welcome further discussion with both Celtic and Rangers around their willingness to provide fan zones in the future.”

A council spokesman added: “Unofficial celebration events by fans of both Celtic and Rangers have caused significant problems in and around the city centre in recent years.

“The council continues to believe that one way to reduce the negative impact of these events would be for clubs to offer supporters more opportunities to celebrate safely. The council, for its part, has always committed to looking at how it can support and facilitate any proposals.

“With that in mind, officials had positive discussions with both clubs late last year to discuss what plans they had for organised celebrations either this season or in the future.

“Meetings also took place earlier this year — and, while this has not yet led to any proposals from the clubs, we have continued to engage regularly and positively with them both over recent months and right up to Friday afternoon.

“With a cup final taking place this weekend, we’ll continue to engage with clubs about how supporters can have appropriate opportunities to celebrate and how the city can facilitate any plans that are brought forward.”