Aberdeen ordered to play on despite 8 players self-isolating

● Two Covid-19 positive tests at Pittodrie ● Club to investigate claims of ‘night out’

Aberdeen will be without at least eight players for their televised clash with St Johnstone tomorrow after two members of the first-team squad tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday.

Another six players found to have been in close proximity to the initial positive player have been instructed to self-isolate for 14 days from Wednesday.

The initial positive player will be required to self-isolate for ten days from the same day.

Aswellasfacingstjohnstone at Mcdiarmid Park tomorrow, Derek Mcinnes’ side are due to host Hamilton Accies on Wednesday and then travel to face champions Celtic next weekend. All the affected players will miss these games.

The injured Sam Cosgrove and suspended Andrew Considine were already sidelined for the trip to Perth. It is not known whether they are among the eight who have been forced to self-isolate.

The news comes amid speculation a group of Aberdeen players had gone out together in the city centre following Saturday’s 1-0 opening day defeat by Rangers at Pittodrie. Chairman Dave Cormack confirmed the club would launch a full investigation into events. He expressed frustration that

DAVE CORMACK “The club will be carrying out a full investigation. We have reinforced the Covid-19 protocols” despite Aberdeen’s significant efforts to protect their “most valuable assets” such a situation had developed.

Of more immediate concern for Aberdeen is the welfare of the players involved and putting together a competitive side to face St Johnstone, who started their own campaign with a 1-1 draw against Dundee United last weekend.

“This instruction for selfisolation has been unanimously endorsed by the Joint Response Group,” a statement from the Scottish FA and SPFL confirmed last night.

The same statement confirmed tomorrow’s game with

St Johnstone, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, will go ahead as scheduled with a 12:30pm kick off following consultation with the Scottish Government.

Aberdeen cancelled training yesterday morning after an unnamed player’s initial positive test was confirmed by a follow-up NHS test. It was later revealed that a second player had tested positive. He is awaiting the result of a follow-up NHS test.

Lockdown restrictions are already in place in the city after details about a cluster of cases