Sturgeon pleads with Old Firm fans to stay at home ahead of today’s derby

NICOLA Sturgeon has urged football fans to stay at home this weekend ahead of the first Celtic v Rangers clash of the season.

The Glasgow clubs will play behind closed doors at Celtic Park today due to Covid- 19 restrictions.

Speaking during the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing on Friday, the First Minister asked fans to not gather outside the stadium or in other people’s homes.

With pubs closed in the central belt under temporary Covid- 19 measures, Ms Sturgeon told fans not to travel to other parts of Scotland or to areas in England where such restrictions are not in force.

She made the appeal as she announced nine more deaths of coronavirus patients have been recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of fatalities to 2,594.

A total of 1,196 people have tested positive for coronavirus over the same time period, while the number of people being admitted to hospital with the virus continues to grow.

Stressing that nobody should be going into someone’s else house unless for an essential purpose, Ms Sturgeon said: “I’m afraid that watching football, no matter how essential it might feel to some, does not fall into that essential category.”

She said there is no point in turning up at Celtic Park as there will be “nothing to see” and she stressed it is “really important” for fans not to travel to try to watch the game in pubs.

Ms Sturgeon said the temptation to defy public health measures could be “even greater” than usual as a result of the football match on Saturday.

She said: “Nobody likes the fact that these restrictions have to be in place but they are vital to protecting all of us and keeping us safe.

“So please comply with restrictions.”