The 300 struck a blow for all of Scottish football
Helter skelter in the Highlands and rays of hope for Scottish football.
There may only have been 300 home fans at Livingston’s game against Ross County in Dingwall on Friday night but it showed us what we’ve been missing.
Playing in empty stadiums is a passion killer, so watching the 300 file in at staggered times before kick-off on Friday was a sight for sore eyes.
The sound of moans, groans and applause was music to my ears and hopefully a positive sign for getting more punters into our grounds in the not so distant future.
They didn’t arrive empty handed either. They brought an edge to the game and reminded us all that even with a few hundred in the stands, fans are one of the key ingredients which come together to make football such a great sport.
You could feel their presence against County. They helped bring an intensity to the play and were rewarded with a night of entertainment.
As a manager I stood on the touchline and felt the buzz, so it would have been even better for the players to have their work scrutinised from the stands again after so long.
I haven’t asked the Livingston players if the fans made a difference to their night but I’m sure I already know the answer.
We’ve been aware for a while that empty grounds take so much away from not just the performances but the spectacle. There have been some good games this season but there have also been games which have been sterile.
Bottom line? There’s a cut and thrust missing from games when you play them in a ground devoid of spectators.
That’s why Friday night was so special – it was a tonic for us all and I was like a kid in a candy shop in Dingwall.
The hope is that we can bring more people back into our games now, not just for the fans but for everyone involved in the game. It’s for the players, the managers and the coaches, anyone who works at a game in whatever capacity.
We all felt that boost on Friday and credit to everyone at County as it was all run like clockwork and went so smoothly in an expert operation.
The Staggies fans adhered to the protocols asked of them and they set the example of how it should be done.
If we can roll out more test games then I’d be confident it’s an example which other supporters will happily follow.
County showed both how and why it can and should be done in the weeks ahead as we all lobby to get more games played this way.
What it also reminded me of is a basic fact about football which all too often gets forgotten.
As footballers we are first and foremost entertainers. We have the responsibility to our support to deliver performances which provide value for money.
It may not always go according to plan but if we put in performances which include a workrate and desire which befits the jersey then they will accept that.
Nobody who left Friday’s game would have felt short-changed.
In the second half there was a real edge to the game, an intensity and flow which only comes from having fans playing their part and, like I said at the start, it was all a bit helter-skelter.
Fingers crossed it’s the first of many after a ray of light at Ross County.