Open doors to give fans their reward

BRENDAN RODGERS was almost caught in a stampede when the fans were invited on to the pitch at the end of training.

But the impact of both Celtic and Aberdeen throwing open their doors has been one of the most welcome aspects of the week.

Dubai plays host to a strong ex-pat community and for the second successive year in the UAE, the champions left the gates ajar at the Al-Wasl Sports Club when holding their final session of the trip.

Plenty took advantage and got a chance to see the players being put through their paces before every member of the playing squad and management posed for selfies, signed jerseys and bits of paper and basically handed themselves over to the fans for an hour.

Aberdeen held their corporate golf day for local members of the Red Army on Thursday and that saw a couple of hundred turning up at Arabian Ranches Golf Club.

Derek McInnes’s men will play a bounce game against Tashkent tomorrow at their base in the Jebel Ali Centre of Excellence and that will also see the connection maintained. Just as 12 months ago at the same location, rather than disappearing after their post-match shower, the Aberdeen players will mix and mingle with the fans at the side of the park and have a blether.

These are simple things for clubs and players to do. They don’t take much to arrange but they mean an awful lot to those who get to meet and chat with a hero. Football clubs get plenty from their fans. It’s refreshing to see payback.