The Scotsman

Green light for trial return of football fans to stadiums

● But sports minister warns no decision yet on the general return of supporters

- By GRAHAM BEAN

Fans will be allowed back into Scottish football this weekend after the Government gave the green light for two pilot matches.

The Ross Countyv Celtic and Aberdeen v Kilmarnock games on Saturday will be used as test events with 300 home supporters allowed at each.

R angers had also hoped to use their home game against Dundee United as a test event but this was vetoed following the increase in coronaviru­s cases in Glasgow and the surroundin­g area.

Scottish rugby has already st aged a match with fans, with 700 spectators attending Murray field for the Edinburgh v Glasgow Pro 14 clash on 28 August.

Ross County and Ab erdeen will provide post-match reports to inform any future pilot schemes, the SPFL said.

Both clubs will undertake a ballot of season-ticket holders to determine who gains entry.

The Scottish Government has stressed no decision has been take non the general return of fans to stadiums and “nothing should be taken for granted”.

“No final decision has yet been taken regarding the general resumption of stadia events with restricted numbers of spectators and nothing should be taken for granted at this stage,” Joe Fitzpatric­k, the sports minister, said.

“A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes in recent months to create the protocols and testing regimes to allow top-level profession­al sport in Scotland to resume and this arrangemen­t follows extensive discussion­s with the Scottish FA, SPFL and clubs about public safety – particular­ly in relation to physical distancing and hygiene measures.

“The football authoritie­s and the clubs involved have also been able to review and learn from the pilot event staged by Scottish Rugby on August 28 and we are confident there will be strict protocols in place at these two initial pilot football events.

“We are keeping all pilot events under close review.”

Neil Doncaster, the SPF L chief executive and part of Scottish football’ sc or on avir us Joint Response Group, said: “We are pleased to have received confirmati­on of pilot events at two Scottish Premiershi­p fixtures on 12 September and I would like to thank the respective home clubs – and indeed all 12 Pre - miership clubs – for the comprehens­ive Return to Supporting plans.

“We look for ward to building on the successful all-sport supporter pilot at BT Murrayfiel­d and I know that clubs take the responsibi­lity for the safe return of supporters seriously. This is another significan­t step for ward for Scottish football and I reiterate the importance of fans to our national game.”

southern hemisphere. When Japan with drew from the tournament due to issues around the pandemic, Georgia were identified as replacemen­ts and initially reported to be put in Scotland’s group along with France and Italy. That had cast doubt on the S cots’ plans to face the east European sin a warm-up Test in Edinburgh for their delayed 2020 Six Nations finale against Wales.

But it now understood that

Scotland’ s match against Georgia on 24 October will go ahead as planned, with the Wales game seven days later.

The Welsh are believed to want the match to be played at the London Stadium if crowds are permitted, or behind closed doors in Wales if not.

Cotter took on the Fiji job this year and can call on the likes of Scots-based stars like Leone Nakarawa, Niko Matawalu and Bill Mata for the new tournament.

Fiji were originally drawn in a group with England, Wales and Ireland. But it now seems they will be in the S cotland-france -Italy sec - tion, with Georgia replacing the Fijians in the other group.

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 ??  ?? JOE FITZPATRIC­K “No final decision has yet been taken regarding the general resumption of stadia events”
JOE FITZPATRIC­K “No final decision has yet been taken regarding the general resumption of stadia events”

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