THE recriminations over the scheduling of the second Old Firm clash of the season have continued right until the game's kick-off with pub trade representatives accusing TV broadcasters of "calling the shots".

The claims by Scottish Licensed Trade Association come as Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said the club and its supporters "will pay our respects and remember sincerely those who lost their lives" at the Ibrox Disaster 46 years ago.

A minute's silence will be held before kick-off at the Hogmanay clash.

Football officials said that the decision to have the first festive Old Firm clash since 2011 and the first Hogmanay fixture in its 126-year history was made following consultation with broadcasters and Police Scotland.

But ahead of the match, the blame game over who is responsible for the timing of the clash has continued, with the SLTA claiming dates to suit broadcasters are not altered despite public order concerns.

It is understood that Sky Sports did suggest the SPFL change the date to hold the Old Firm fixture on New Year’s Day, but were advised Police Scotland opposed this.

It believed that, due to Rangers and Celtic having games on the 28th December and the league’s winter shutdown from January second, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day were the only possible options.

Having been turned down in their bid to have the match delayed a day, sources claim Sky were happy to show the game live on Hogmanay due to its massive popularity.

Paul Waterson, the SLTA chief executive, said: "The thing is that the broadcaster gives the dates and there is not much movement on that. I think it is broadcaster led.

"They had to pick one day and Hogmanay was picked. It could have been better on New Year's Day. I think if it could have been moved before that or after that and that would have suited everyone. But the broadcaster was calling the shots."

But Police Scotland said it was capable of dealing with any fall-out from the game as well as Hogmanay celebrations across the country.

ACC Bernard Higgins, the force's lead officer on football, said: "As part of the engagement with partners around fixtures, other dates were considered and for a range of reasons December 31 remained the day on which this game would be played.

"These discussions were both entirely professional and pragmatic. We agreed that we could police the event on that date and asked for the kick off time to be brought forward.

"It is well within the capability of Police Scotland to meet the demands of that day both in football terms and the wider Hogmanay celebrations."

Meanwhile, directors of Rangers and Celtic will lay wreaths outside Ibrox at the statue of John Greig as a tribute to the 66 supporters who died in the tragedy at the stadium on January 2, 1971.

Brendan Rodgers said: “The tragedy at Ibrox was one which affected Rangers Football Club and so many other people across Scotland. It transcended football and was an event which also involved Celtic so closely.

“As we have done many times before we will pay our respects on Saturday and remember sincerely those who lost their lives and all those others affected in the most tragic circumstances of 1971."

More than 50,000 fans will attend the match, which will kick-off at 12.15pm. Train services will stop by 10pm. Glasgow’s subway line will shut at 10.30pm.

A spokesman for the SPFL said: “This match was scheduled for December 31 when the season’s fixtures were announced back in June. While the broadcaster later requested it be moved to January 1, on the advice of police and with the agreement of the broadcaster it remained scheduled for December 31.”