ROSSISHAPPY TOSHARETHE WAYFORWARD
BY ALAN MARSHALL
ROSS McARTHUR is convinced Dunfermline’s partnership with Alloa will see other clubs come together to help each other out.
The Championship rivals have reached an agreement to share resources and facilities to help ensure they survive the coronavirus crisis.
The deal could even see the clubs host each other’s home games if there is a problem with either ground failing to meet government guidelines.
Dunfermline will train at Alloa’s Indodrill Stadium amidst fears Fife Council’s ownership of their previous base at nearby Kelty Hearts’ ground could prove problematic.
Pars chairman McArthur believes the two clubs are leading the way following a summer of in-fighting in the SPFL.
He said: “This provides us with a ‘bio-safe’ training environment, where we’ll both have our own changing rooms, physio room, coaches’ room, storage facilities, etc.
“And everything will get cleansed, including the pitch.
“Where we were before was invariably local authority-owned facilities, and we’re on a wing and a prayer there. They could be closed down at any time, and you don’t know who’s been in before you and what cleaning regime is in place.
“There’s all sorts of risks, so we started having a discussion and the more we talked the more it made sense to do this.
“Maybe more clubs should be looking at doing something like this. For once, in Scottish football, it’s a good news story about clubs working together as opposed to tearing them apart. I’m really pleased we have come to this agreement.”
McArthur, though, doesn’t expect either club having to host the other’s games, despite it being part of their agreement.
He added: “We’ve got these contingencies built in that, for any reason, you can’t play games at Alloa, you can play at East End Park and vice versa.
“If it came to it, the rules would need to be more flexible next season.
“It’s going to be difficult because if somebody plays us at Alloa as our home game, you’re going to get some people saying ‘that’s not fair, we would rather play at East End Park’.
“But it’s just for the worst-case scenario. We don’t anticipate it happening, to be honest.”