Thistle’s shut down fears as training halted

EK Thistle boss Iain Diack fears Scottish football will be shut down completely if there is another breach of Covid-19 protocols in our game.

The Scottish FA’s Coronavirus Joint Response Group announced last Thursday they would be suspending training for all teams below the Premiership, following players from Aberdeen and Celtic flouting the rules.

Eight Dons stars – including EK native Craig Bryson – went on a night out in the Granite City and two players ended up testing positive for Covid-19, while Celtic’s Boli Bolingoli took an unsanctioned trip to Spain and didn’t follow quarantine rules on his return.

It has resulted in clubs like the Jags being punished for the sins of others and they’ve now had to cease preparations for the new West of Scotland League campaign, just days after their return to training.

Clubs will not be allowed to train until August 24 at the earliest. And Diack said:“One more incident and I think they [the SFA] will shut the

game down completely. I don’t see there being any choice if full-time teams keep breaking the rules.

“Hopefully people have got the message now.

“If it gets shutdown again at every level, it’s going to have a financial impact. We are all really disappointed because we get back, the boys are starting to get a wee buzz about them, we are arranging friendlies and now we can’t do anything.

“It’s very demoralising. We started back last Saturday, so it’s sod’s law, we get shut down straight away.

“The only word you can use is stupidity. Eight Aberdeen players go out to a pub after a game when it’s so important to have football back.

“You’ve got a responsibility there as a player.

“And then the Celtic situation, it’s one player who has completely broken the rules when the rest of the squad haven’t.

“It’s not ideal, but if teams are going to break the rules, that’s what happens.

“I don’t think there can be any complaints from those who have broken the rules.”It’s a shame for the rest of us, but it is what it is.”

Diack, whose squad squeezed in sessions on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday of last week, are set for an October 10 kick-off in Conference C.

League chairman Dave McKenna last week revealed that is the date they have put to the SFA for the lower league re-start. But having seen the chaos at the top level, Diack has his concerns over their return to the field

He added:“I thought once they started opening up to our level, that’s when we’d get problems, but it’s been the opposite, which is worrying.

“If problems do arise when the part-time teams start back, they’ll just shut the whole thing down after what’s happened in the Premiership.”