HOW DID THE DONS GET TO THIS STAGE?

How are the two players likely to have been infected?

There is no certain way of knowing but a group of players had dinner together in a city-centre bar in Aberdeen on Saturday night. A number of such establishments have subsequently been linked to a recent Covid-19 outbreak. Given the present situation in the city, it’s also possible the players could simply have been infected by a family member.

Aren’t footballers meant to be living in bio-secure bubbles?

This is the case at Cormack Park but it does not extend beyond that. Unlike cricket and golf, professional football hasn’t gone this far, with players only obliged to abide by the social-distancing measures of wider society when not at the stadium or training ground. The players were therefore entitled to go for a meal on Saturday — although you could question the wisdom of this. This outbreak may make fellow Premiership clubs reviews what’s permissible.

What’s the chronology of events?

The club’s own testing flagged up a positive result at the start of the week. This was subsequently confirmed via a NHS follow-up. Yesterday’s training was immediately cancelled. Further testing revealed the second positive, with that set to be confirmed by the NHS.

If only two players have tested positive, why have six others self-isolate?

It’s simply Scottish Government instructions on account of them having come into contact with the first case. Anyone with Covid-19 now has to selfisolate for ten days. The other six players have to self-isolate for 14 days from yesterday. This course of action was unanimously endorsed by the Joint Response Group.

What’s Aberdeen’s schedule?

They are to play St Johnstone (a) on Saturday, Hamilton (h) on Wednesday, then Celtic (a) next Saturday. The eight players will be unavailable for those. They could theoretically return for the home game with Livingston on August 22, which comes just before the first Europa League qualifier but even that may be too soon.

How worrying is this development for Scottish football?

It’s hardly unexpected. This is why rigorous testing is in place. With infection numbers falling in recent weeks, it’s a reminder that Covid-19 is still very much out there. While public health is the overriding concern, the prospect of multiple games being postponed just doesn’t bear thinking about from the SPFL’s perspective. That’s why Saturday’s game goes ahead. There is a scarcely a free week on the season’s calendar, no winter break and last season’s Scottish Cup to conclude. Aberdeen’s main striker Sam Cosgrove is already injured and Andy Considine is suspended. Dons manager Derek McInnes will have no option but to play untried players.