OLD Firm clubs and Scottish football's governing bodies have spent more than £500,000 policing the matches in less than two years.

According to national reports, the SPA and SPFL pay for cup games while the Old Firm foot the bill for security at league matches.

Figures released to the Daily Record through a Freedom of Information request, reveal the cost hit £555,568 between April 2016 and the end of last year.

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However, that figure doesn't include the cash spent to deploy Police Scotland officers outside the grounds.

Rangers spent £206,796 on officers within at Ibrox at three matches, while Celtic paid out £168,194 to police three games at Parkhead.

The stats do not stat what was spent on officers, police cordons or police horses outside the grounds or on overtime.

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Similarly, during the same period, the SPA spent £109,713 on the 2016 Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.

And the SPFL paid £70,864 for the Betfred Cup semi-final at the national stadium that same year.