Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers declared unity was paramount as he welcomed the return of the Green Brigade.
The fan group will be back in Celtic Park for Saturday’s visit of Livingston after a ban was lifted.
About 300 fans had their season tickets suspended for six matches and were denied tickets for away games, while other vocal supporters appeared to stay away in solidarity.
Rodgers said: “Celtic’s history is littered with late goals and a big part of that is down to the fans and the whole stadium really getting behind the team. That’s what makes Celtic.
“When you have the manager, the supporters and the players all on the same page, then it’s a real force.
“It hasn’t been the atmosphere for a number of weeks but that’s the responsibility of everyone.
“But we know when the atmosphere is white hot at Celtic it makes it a really, really difficult place for teams to come and play and also it gives the players that extra edge as well.
“For the guys to be back in, there is no doubt they have given an ambience in that corner section. The club gave them that opportunity to be the first club in Britain to have that safe standing area.
“Hopefully they can go back in and support the team and their responsibility as well as the whole stadium to really get behind the team to help us get the result.”
Fans of Motherwell, Hibernian, Feyenoord and Hearts have been more vocal than the home support in recent weeks outside of very sporadic bursts of noise.
Celtic drew with the Steelmen and then lost their first domestic home game in almost three years against Hearts last weekend.
When asked if the Green Brigade’s absence had contributed to those below-par performances, Rodgers said: “I don’t know if it’s specifically them. We have still had 60,000 in there. The responsibility is for everyone.
“Firstly I always look at the team and what we can do as a team to provide the football that can excite the supporters because that’s what we always aim to do.
“But of course Celtic is based around that collect spirit in the stands that really drives the team forward.
“But either way, I just think it’s really good news. There’s no point looking at the past.
“Great news for them that they can get in and watch their team because they want to support the team and the club. They are better being inside and cheering us on and hopefully that brings us all together and we can now look forward for the rest of the season.”
The loudest noise against Hearts came when fans chanted “sack the board” amid frustration over the club’s summer transfer activity.
When asked about the importance of unity, Rodgers said: “It is paramount for any successful club, especially a top club where the intensity is so high. And what makes a top club is when everyone is together and that spirit, that collective fight, everyone pushing forward.”
Celtic cited an “increasingly serious escalation in unacceptable behaviours” for their initial decision, which the fans declared “evidently unfair” but an agreement was reached following talks.
A spokesperson for Celtic said: “Following consultation with the group, the club has now implemented an updated rail seating safety code of conduct which has been accepted by the group, allowing for a return to a situation where rules and regulations around operating safely are respected and complied with.”
Liel Abada will not feature against Livi and his chances of returning from a thigh injury in time to face Rangers on December 30 appear slim.
“He is out on the grass running with the medical team,” Rodgers said. “It’s not imminent but he is certainly in a really, really good place and hopefully some time in the near future he will be able to be back in with the squad.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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