Glentoran will travel to Windsor Park to face Linfield in a Boxing Day Big Two encounter
Linfield and Glentoran have recorded one Big Two victory apiece in the 2023/24 Sports Direct Premiership season ahead of Boxing Day
Linfield have slammed the brakes on more Boxing Day ticket sales for Glentoran fans to minimise the risk of crowd trouble at the festive showdown.
The December 26 Windsor Park clash has sold over 10,000 tickets, with full capacity at 18,500.
Glentoran were given an allocation of 2,600 in Windsor’s North Stand Upper tier but some supporters feel the lower deck should be opened up to accommodate more fans.
But the Belfast Telegraph has learned that Linfield chiefs are not willing to release further tickets under the current segregation and security arrangements.
One Blues source said: “There has been crowd trouble before when fans clashed with police and we can’t take that risk.”
Both clubs have been hit with Irish FA punishments for spectator misconduct in the 2023/24 season and they will make a fresh plea for their fans to create the right atmosphere in the festive clash.
Glentoran are challenging a £5,000 fine from Irish FA disciplinary chiefs following disturbances involving their fans at Seaview.
In a Premiership game in October, there were ugly scenes in the corner of the ground as travelling supporters tried to get into the Shore Road End stand, which is now reserved for Crues fans as a family enclosure. Punches were thrown and three Eventsec stewards were left bloodied following the exchange, prompting a Crusaders complaint to the Irish FA.
To date, the largest Sports Direct Premiership attendance in 2023/24 came in October when the ‘Big Two’ played at Windsor in front of 7,772 fans, with David
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