Chris Sutton has slammed Rangers for the away fan shutout during derby clashes with Celtic.

The ex-Hoops striker has blasted the Ibrox club for the "shameful" approach to the matter.

The teams will meet in Glasgow's east end on Saturday lunchtime, as Michael Beale's men travel to Celtic Park.

Rangers will be looking to keep any slim title hopes they have alive, while the Hoops will be aiming to put their arch-rivals to the sword.

However, the Gers will have no vocal backing from their support after both clubs shut the doors on away ends at both grounds amid safety concerns with reduced allocations.

Celtic and Rangers allowed around 800 away punters into their respective stadiums in recent years in the wake of Ibrox chiefs slashing the traditional 7500 capacity in the Broomloan Stand in Govan.

In response, Celtic hit back by cutting Rangers' allocation on their home patch too.

The sides are said to be locked in a ticket stalemate, with Celtic wanting a return to the old numbers and Rangers are unwilling to budge on the reduced capacity.

Now, pundit Chris Sutton has branded the move "pathetic", as he pointed to the damaging impact this has on the fixture, as well as Scottish football.

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Sutton told the Daily Record: “I don’t like the fans’ situation at all. It’s rubbish for Scottish football. I think having no away fans is rubbish for the perception of Scottish football. It’s absolutely ridiculous.

“When I first joined Celtic, going to Ibrox and having 7500 behind the goal and likewise when Rangers came to Celtic Park made it a far better spectacle. It’s shameful and a really bad look for Scottish football around the world.

“I just think it’s petty, and it’s something Rangers really need to sort out. I can’t see the upside over all this? What is the benefit of banning away fans from the fixture?

"This game is big around the world and the lockout is pathetic. I think if you asked both sets of supporters, they would say the same thing. It’s ridiculous and it diminishes the spectacle.”