Professor Leitch keen to see schoolkids lead way in stadium return

SCHOOLCHILDREN could be handed the chance to help fill SPFL stadiums in advance of a return to full crowds, according to the national clinical director.

Professor Jason Leitch admits the prospect of allocating tickets to groups of kids as a bridge from empty arenas to normality was an ‘excellent idea’ worth exploring as the SPFL gears up for an August 1 restart.

It is expected that no supporters will be in attendance in the first weeks of the new season.

However, with coronavirus receding and social-distancing restrictions now removed for under-11s, Professor Leitch is open to the idea of allowing children the chance to congregate at matches as a first step.

He said: ‘When we get to crowds I think there may well be a thought that classes could go or school trips could.

‘I think that’s an excellent idea. The extra bit we’d need is the ability to gather in larger groups outdoors, particularly for adults.

‘That will come in time. I think the idea is a neat transition to actual crowds, physically distancing. I don’t think it’s a stupid idea. It’s certainly worth exploring, but we are not there yet.

‘One of the challenges of schools going back on August 11 will be transportation. So we’re going to have to solve those problems.’

The SPFL and SFA’s joint response group has remained in close contact with the Scottish Government through sports minister Joe Fitz-Patrick.

Although First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been reluctant to give too much encouragement to clubs desperate to allow paying customers to attend matches as soon as possible, Professor Leitch believes the dialogue remains constructive.

‘I personally had a meeting with the chairs and chief executives of all the Premiership clubs this week,’ he continued. ‘I told the truth as I knew it on that day. It was a very constructive conversation and I gave the answers as I knew them.

‘They are, of course, lobbying and advocating for their businesses, which is what I would do. They are quite right to do so.

‘I couldn’t give them definitive dates but I told them I was impressed with the behaviour of the clubs.’

News that the SPFL’s rigorous testing policy had thrown up a positive for Covid-19 at Aberdeen’s Cormack Park base through the week sounded alarm bells, but Professor Leitch insists that isolated result was actually ‘quite encouraging’.

He said: ‘I would expect occasional positives when the virus is in general circulation, that is exactly what you would expect.

‘That individual is self-isolating, contact-traced, and the club have done exactly what we want them to do.’

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster is expected to go before television cameras tomorrow as the SPFL outlines its fixture schedule for the new Premiership season.

Professor Leitch added: ‘August 1 is still on the calendar for those behindclosed-doors games, but there is no authority from ministers who will make that final decision — Mr Fitz-Patrick then up the chain to the First Minister.

‘That is what we told Mr Doncaster this week and the owners. This week has not discouraged us but it has not got us a definitive date either.’