‘I thought decision was a joke’
EX-SCOTTISH Police Federation chairman Les Gray thought news of the SPFL’s decision to host two cup semi-finals at Hampden on the same day was an April Fool.
Gray, who believes the cost to the public purse could be as much as £1million, has questioned whether Police Scotland have the ability to cope with two matches at the national stadium within hours of each other.
He fears the decision to stage both Aberdeen v Rangers and Celtic v Hearts on October 28 will spark organised violence involving hooligans who support the four clubs, making Glasgow and the streets around Hampden a no-go area.
Gray said: “I have to say, when I heard about this I did two things.
“I checked the calendar – I thought I had lost track of time and it was the first of April, because it would have been a great April Fool’s headline.
“Social media was full of people who actually thought it was fake news.
“The second thing I did – and I can guarantee there would have been tens of thousands of people up and down the country doing it – was to check where I am on the 28th of October.
“I don’t want to be anywhere near Glasgow or Hampden Park and the surrounding areas.
“My concerns are that logistically it’s going to be an absolute nightmare.
“I know Police Scotland have come out and said, ‘We’ll cope’, but I really do wonder how they will cope.”