The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Brown urges players to heed wake-up call
TESTS: Saints chairman disappointed as Dons game is postponed
St Johnstone chief Steve Brown has urged Scotland’s footballers to “wake up and smell the coffee” after his side’s clash with Aberdeen was called off because of positive Covid-19 tests returned by two Dons stars.
The Saints chairman admitted he was frustrated that the televised lunchtime clash had been rescheduled to Thursday August 20, following further talks between the SPFL, the SFA and the Scottish Government.
Eight Pittodrie players were criticised by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday for visiting a city centre bar – one of several pubs linked to a cluster of coronavirus cases – last Saturday after their side’s defeat to Rangers.
Brown, whose team’s furious fans insist Aberdeen should be ordered to forfeit the points, said: “Obviously it is disappointing but I don’t want to say too much because it could have happened to any club.
“There’s a very strict regime here, the same as every other Premiership club, with the testing and protocols we have to follow.
“That’s where the frustration gets in. Because we do all that but we can’t control players when they leave the football club. We are hoping the players take responsibility for their own actions.
“There’s an element of players, unfortunately at every club, so I’m not going to have a pop at Aberdeen. It could happen to any of us.
“I just hope and pray the players will take it on board and wake up and smell the coffee that we are in a pandemic and you have to act accordingly.
“We have been given special dispensation from the Scottish Government. We’ve got to respect that and let’s not throw it away.”
WAKE-UP CALL: Continued from page 60
Perth boss Callum Davidson – who learned of the postponement when Sky staff began de-rigging their kit during training – was on the receiving end of a fixture calloff last month when members of St Mirren’s backroom team returned positive Covid-19 tests ahead of their pre-season friendly.
He has called in his players today to begin preparations for Wednesday’s Premiership clash at Ibrox against Rangers.
They will have had just one competitive game against Dundee United and two friendlies against Aberdeen and Hibs under their belts before the fixture with Steven Gerrard’s men.
Meanwhile, Dons chairman Dave Cormack admitted he is grateful his side didn’t have to forfeit the Saints game.
Manager Derek McInnes was going into the match without eight first-team players – the two who tested positive for Covid-19 and a further six who were also self-isolating after being in the pub with the pair.
All eyes have been on the Granite City over the last few days as far as the coronavirus in Scotland is concerned, with the first minister increasing lockdown restrictions for seven days on Wednesday due to a spike in cases.
Bars and restaurants were ordered to close, there is a five-mile travel limit for leisure activities, and people from outside Aberdeen have been encouraged not to travel there.
Cormack, who has launched an investigation into what happened, said: “I took the opportunity yesterday to apologise to both football and health authorities, and with our fellow premiership clubs.
“We are now dealing with this internally with the seriousness it deserves.”
McInnes apologised, calling the players involved “foolish” and insisting that fans deserve better.
He said: “First and foremost having spoken to all the lads they all take full responsibility. They have made a real error of judgement. The four household rule is clear and I think that is where they fall short and are guilty.
“What they have said to me was, because they felt they were in their own bubble here and tested negative and had been in the changing room and all the rest of it, they actually said that that hadn’t even crossed their minds.
“The bit for me that makes it even more of an issue is that they then go after dinner into a pub for half-an-hour or so – there wasn’t intentions to go out partying and only a couple of them had a glass of wine with their food – but the majority were driving and not drinking because they had training the next day.
“I think they have been really foolish in the fact we have lost an important game to Rangers and we have all been at Aberdeen long enough to know you don’t go out the door if you lose a game.”
Scottish football’s Joint Response Group (JRG) added: “Following a meeting between the minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, Joe FitzPatrick, the Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell, and the chief executive of the SPFL, Neil Doncaster, to further examine the circumstances around the selfisolation of eight Aberdeen FC players, a request was received from Scottish Government – and agreement reached – to postpone Saturday’s Scottish Premiership match against St Johnstone.
“There is an evolving public health outbreak in Aberdeen and the minister conveyed the need for additional work to provide further assurance around Aberdeen FC’s adherence to the agreed protocols.
“Given the overriding responsibility to public health, the subsequent advice and discussion with the minister this morning means that the Joint Response Group must adhere to the request to postpone the match.”