The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Disappointment as limit on cup final fans pegged at 600
There will be only 300 St Johnstone fans inside Hampden Park for the Scottish Cup final, the SFA has confirmed.
Hopes had been raised that the crowd at the national stadium would be much larger, certainly into four figures, but a statement released by the governing body has explained that a combination of two-metre physical distancing and restricted “approved areas” for supporters has resulted in this anti-climax.
Saints have around 2,000 season ticket holders and demand from them for a seat in Hampden as the Perth side seek to secure a historic cup double is now sure to exceed supply.
The SFA statement read: “Following dispensation from Uefa to allow a restricted number of supporters to attend the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park on Saturday May 22, the Scottish FA approached the Scottish Government for 2,000 fans to be accommodated using the approved Uefa Euro 2020 stadium seating template.
“The Scottish Government has today confirmed that a two metre physical distancing configuration must be used, not the 1.5m configuration that will be in operation for Uefa Euro 2020.
“At two metre physical distancing, the number of spectators able to be hosted in the approved areas of the stadium reduces to 600 in total – 300 per club.
“We have notified both finalists, Hibernian and St Johnstone, and while the number is less than anticipated we look forward to a limited number of fans attending the cup final.”
Jamie Beatson, editor of the St Johnstone fan site We Are Perth, had previously said he hoped as many as 1,500 sets of fans from each side would be able to attend the game.
After the disappointing news broke, Jamie said: “While it’s welcome that any fans are going to be allowed in, you do have to wonder what the point is with this limit.
“Each fan that does get in to the stadium will have approximately 80 seats to themselves.
“That is taking social distancing to extreme levels.
“There will be enormous demand from both sides for these tickets and it feels like that is just being exacerbated by a needlessly small limit like this.
“Caution is obviously needed as we emerge from lockdown and as restrictions start to ease.
“But this is far beyond caution. 6,000 tickets would have been a cautious limit. 600 is a nonsense.”
“6,000 tickets would have been a cautious limit