Dons chief rages at Gov over fans ban
ABERDEEN chairman Dave Cormack has hit out at the Scottish Government for blanking football’s bid to try to get fans back in grounds.
Cormack took to Twitter last night to challenge National Clinical Director
Jason Leitch and Sports Minister Joe FitzPatrick for claiming the “channels of communication are open” on national radio.
The Joint Response Group wrote to the Government this week to ask for talks after Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave the go- ahead to a supporters’ return in England.
Cormack tweeted: “@jasonleitch on @ offtheballbbc ‘Channels of communication are open. The Sports Minister & I meet with whoever wants to talk to us’ Really! @ ScottishFA @ spfl and @AberdeenFC await an email reply from Monday.
“Maybe Tam (Cowan) & Stuart ( Co s g r o v e) @offtheballbbc can ask the f o l lowing questions tomorrow?”
Cormack went on to accuse Leitch of double-standards, adding: “During a Zoom meeting with @ spfl & executives from premiership clubs to discuss COVID did you state that fans socially distanced in stadiums, outdoors in the fresh air, were preferred to indoor events/ activities. YES or NO?
“With zero reported COVID cases from football test events, and the independent opinion of an eminent epidemiologist, why is Tier 2 access to indoor shopping centres, gyms, trampolining, bingo halls & cinemas now preferred over outdoor stadia by you?”
Dons have applied to have 1000 fans at their clash with
Ross County on December 12 and if that’s successful they want 2000 to be allowed in for the festive fixtures against St Johnstone and Dundee United.
AFC commercial director Rob Wicks said: “We would like to think that our plan for a modest, incremental increase in the number of fans able to attend matches would be approved by authorities.
“There’s a clear need and a desire among clubs to test t h eir pro t o c o l s and procedures with higher numbers, which, in the case of Pittodrie, is supported by the detailed independent review carried out by Professor Gary Macfarlane. We want to offer fans some hope.”
Meanwhile, Ross County want to have more than 300 fans at their home clash with Rangers next weekend.
A County statement said: “We bel ieve we have showcased on three occasions how well we can manage and deliver a safe environment for our supporters.”