ST JOHNSTONE chief executive Fran Smith has revealed they could give more tickets to Old Firm fans next season.
Saints owner Adam Webb went public with plans to keep a current system in place for Premiership clashes.
St Johnstone could increase the number of tickets issued to Celtic fans[/caption]
The same will go for Rangers supporters at McDiarmid Park[/caption]
But Smith admits that continued low turnout from Perth fans could see Saints increase the allocation for Celtic and Rangers fans in the future.
However, no decision will be made until the end of this season, or without consultation with Saints supporters.
Smith said: “A bad decision was made with no fan consultation for the Scottish Cup game against Rangers last season that caused the whole issue in the first place.
“It was a sleeping conversation until that happened.
“At the start of this season there was no cut for Celtic and Rangers fans — they are getting the exact same allocation for league games as before.
“Rangers got three stands for that cup game, but every other game has been the two ends and 900 in the Geoff Brown Stand.
“The plans were wrongly construed.
“Our current ticket policy is that our fans will be in the East Stand, and that will remain the policy through to the end of the season.
“We were always going to review this next May.
“We’ve got Rangers in a couple of weeks, and Celtic again later in the season.
“Hopefully there will be another game against Rangers in the top six after that.
“Economically, if we’re not going to fill the East Stand, why wouldn’t we think about maximising income?
“You’re talking about being £75k better off for one game, which is a player.
“Of course, the rest of the board might not agree with me. That’s the important thing.
“We’ll discuss it as a board and discuss it with fans’ groups again.
“There are a few options for us.
“One of them is giving St Johnstone fans the Geoff Brown Stand and the Ormond.
“We’d make £35k more doing it that way.
Saints owner Adam Webb has made his feelings clear[/caption]
“There’s also the possibility of season tickets without Old Firm games.
“I’ve got to think about the club more economically.
“If people want a better product on the park, then we need to bring income in.
“So that could, potentially, include extra Old Firm income.
“It’s always going to be a contentious one for the club.
“It’s one we have to speak about again as a board, and we need to involve the fans to make sure we make the right decision.
“My leadership is all about one club, one city, one community.
“We’re not saying we’ll give fans full autonomy to make decisions, but we want them to feel part of it.
“They are the club. I want more of our fans to come out, and support us in the games against Rangers and Celtic.”
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