GRAEME McGARRY

who have forked out their own hard-earned cash in such uncertain times for season tickets – without a guarantee of how many games they will see in the flesh – haven’t exactly got the violins out.

The thing is, we all probably know folk who have breached Covid-19 restrictions here and there, and they will never trouble a front page. Footballers are as prone to human frailties, whether that be carelessness (if we are being kind) or selfishness

(if we are being frank) as anyone else.

It is therefore hard to foresee a situation, given the law of averages, that there won’t be at least one player who slips up and puts the whole game – and the future of several of our clubs – at serious risk in the process.

The SPFL are considering bringing in more stringent punishments for individuals who break the rules as a stronger deterrent, while the likes of former SFA chief executive Gordon Smith have called for points deductions from clubs when their players breach the guidelines.

PERHAPS hitting players in the pocket would be the best way to stamp out such behaviour, but the notion of docking points seems a little unfair when every club has gone to extraordinary lengths to not only create a safe environment for players to train and play in, but in hammering home the message to their employees that any missteps put the very future of their club in peril. They can’t monitor their players 24 hours a day.

If the message hasn’t sunk in with a few of them by now, then it is hard to see what else can be said to persuade any bad apples that they are about to ruin it all for everyone else.

The First Minister has tried to speak in language that they will understand, but as much as it pains me to say it, it’s hard to see this entire season not being given an early bath.