STARKTESTKO DURING GAME
HQ was halted when Stark, who had tested negative with his squad on Sunday, discovered a second test on Wednesday had produced a positive result.
The game, which England were winning 3-1, was immediately halted – and Saturday’s Under-17 and Sunday’s second Under-19 Auld Enemy clashes have now been shelved.
Hampden chiefs – already dealing with an outbreak in the senior group with Armstrong, Christie, Tierney and two medical staff members in isolation – were forced to issue a grovelling apology to their English counterparts while government chiefs kick off their track and trace investigation.
The SFA statement last night explained: “The Under-19s squad and backroom team all delivered negative Covid-19 tests on Sunday to enable them to play in today’s match against England.
“Three players based in England joined-up with the squad yesterday and they and the rest of the squad were tested again with a view to Sunday’s second match.
“The three players had been in isolation and had no contact with anyone else. Nonetheless, despite testing negative during Sunday’s test, the head coach, Billy Stark, returned a positive test for Covid-19 this afternoon.
“The result of the second test was immediately relayed to the Under-19 team manager and the game was abandoned immediately, in line with established Covid-19 protocol.
“Billy will now travel home in isolation and will self-isolate for 10 days. The playing group and the rest of the backroom team will undertake precautionary self-isolation for 14 days, whilst the Scottish government undertakes a formal risk assessment to assess who Stark was in close contact with during the camp.
“Scotland Under-19s’ game against England on Sunday has now been postponed along with the scheduled Under-17s match on Saturday.
“We apologise to the FA for any inconvenience caused.”
The Scotland Under-19 squad includes Hamilton first-team player Jamie Hamilton, Aberdeen’s Dean Campbell, Rangers’ Nathan Paterson and Ibrox loan kids Kai Kennedy, who is at Inverness, and Josh McPake, who is at Morton.
They could all now miss club games after the international break due to quarantine rules.
The SFA have already copped flak from Celtic and Arsenal over Christie and Tierney being forced to self-isolate.