SPFLmusttake hardlineifclubs denyawayfans
JOCK STEIN famously said: “Football without fans is nothing.” It’s a quote that SPFL chiefs should be taking to heart.
It’s beyond time they made a stand and stopped our big clubs simply dismissing away supports.
It’s wrong that Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen haven’t made tickets available for visiting punters recently.
Clubs can make excuses about Covid and other issues but if they’re allowing home supporters in, there should also be an away allocation.
Ross County have gone to Pittodrie and Celtic Park while their fans have had to make do with pay-per-view streams at best. Is that acceptable?
It was the same for the Celtic faithful who couldn’t get tickets for Ibrox, while Motherwell fans will have the same limited choices come Sunday.
Fans have waited long enough through this Covid nightmare to see their team. There are diehards who used to follow their team home and away being denied the opportunity.
Some clubs might have more than enough of a fanbase when it comes to home games that they don’t need opposition fans to make up the numbers.
It is the supporters of other clubs we are at risk of at risk of losing because of the current situation.
It is vital money that could be lost and why?
SPFL rules 127 and 128 state clearly there should be away fans.
Rule 127: “The home club must make provision for the admission of such reasonable number of visiting supporters at every home league match and play-off as may be agreed in advance with the visiting club and, in the event of their being unable to agree such a number not later than 14 days prior to the date of the league match or play-off match in question, the number of visiting supporters allowed shall be determined by the board whose final decision shall be final and binding.
Rule 128: “A section of the ground must be reserved for supporters of the visiting club and any tickets for league matches or play-off matches must be distributed on that basis.” It’s in black and white. The SPFL may want clubs to complain before they take action but if there are breaches, the rules should be enforced.
The issue is that some clubs are reluctant to complain because they know money is tight and some get a major windfall when the Old Firm come to town. They don’t want
The SPFL’s there to look after the interests of all clubs – they’re not doing that
to run the risk of opposition fans taking umbrage and not using up their away allocations.
The bottom line is that the SPFL are there to look after the interests of all our clubs and they are not doing that.
Maybe they don’t want to rock the boat with issues surrounding certain clubs but that is simply not good enough.
Some may say certain clubs might only take a few hundred fans, so what’s the point?
It shouldn’t make any difference. They should still have the option to go and watch their team.
Football is for the people. Sadly, though, some of our clubs and fans are simply being short-changed, especially on the road.