SPFL semi-final climbdown forced by Hearts and Dons
● But Celtic call failure to hold ballot on who plays at Murrayfield discriminatory
A pact between Hearts and Aberdeen has led to an embarrassing climbdown by the SPFL with both the forthcoming Betfred Cup semifinals now being scheduled for different venues.
The Tynecastle club will make the short journey to Murrayfield, as they originally hoped would be the case, to play Celtic at 1.30pm on Sunday 28 October.
Aberdeen’s game against Rangers will be held on the same day at Hampden but, crucially, will kick off at the later time of 4.30pm. Both semis had originally been scheduled to be played at Hampden on the same day. Aberdeen v Rangers was due to kick-off at midday – 15 minutes before the first train from Aberdeen to Glasgow is due to arrive. Hearts v Celtic was pencilled in for 7.45pm. Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne branded the original plan combined with the time taken to review it as a “total embarrassment for Scottish football”.
Hearts owner Ann Budge was in contact with Milne yesterday afternoon to press for a better scenario for their fans. The local evening papers in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, the Evening News and Evening Express, united to carry front page messages railing against the proposed plan and then claimed “victory” for the clubs when the SPFL confirmed they were able to re-think after a contractual stipulation whereby Rangers and Celtic must play at Hampden was waived by Hampden Park Ltd.
While it might be a welcome result for Hearts and Aberdeen, Celtic voiced their dissatisfaction at being made to travel to Edinburgh and branded the decision not to hold a ballot to determine who plays where as “irrational and discriminatory”. The club made what they describe as a “modest request” to draw lots in a written letter to the SPFL.
“Instead they have arbitrarily decided that a chosen game should stay at Hampden and the other should go to Murrayfield,” said the club statement.
Speaking on the eve of his side’s Europa League clash against Salzburg, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said: “I’m disappointed with the process. We all see the sense in not having the two games in the one venue on the same day. At least there’s a decision made to be away from Hampden but you have to be fair to all four teams and the supporters.”
Rodgers had called for lots to be drawn to decide which game went to Murrayfield. Last year he described the rugby ground as a “proper, well thought-out stadium” while decrying the facilities for supporters at Hampden.
Hearts manager Craig Levein
welcomed the about-turn. He had been particularly vociferous in his opposition to the original plan, stressing he had neverinhiscareerknownsuch “disregard” towards supporters. His main complaint was the fact the late kick-off time in another city would impact on the number of children able to go to the game.
Now Celtic supporters will be asked to travel to another city but at the more familyfriendly time of early afternoon. “There’s also a part of me that says: ‘Hold on a minute – our supporters have to go to Hampden every year, so why can’t Celtic supporters come through to Edinburgh for one year?’” said Levein yesterday.
“We have to play on the Sunday to suit Celtic, so I think it’s reasonable to expect them to come through.”
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard earlier in the day said he would accept the decision but expected not to have to travel to Murrayfield – which is indeed the case.
“We just leave it to the powers that be to make a decision,” he said prior to his side’s Europa League clash against Rapid Vienna tonight. “It shouldn’t really affect us because we have been drawn out to play in the first game at Hampden and we don’t expect anything to change.
“We will wait to see how it pans out. We look on with interest. We didn’t have a complaint in the first place. We still haven’t got a complaint.
“I mentioned last week that it was a very unique situation because ourselves and Celtic are still in Europe,” he added. “The only advice I would give (the SPFL) is maybe next time they should expect both of us to get to this stage in Europe and have a different solution.”
Derek Mcinnes, the Aberdeen manager, will have his say today at a press conference to preview Saturday’s clash with St Mirren.
He had described the original early kick-off as “problematic”.
A statement from the SPFL confirmed the latest twist in a