Optimism grows over return of supporters
Aberdeen manager Derek Mcinnes hopes the news that some English stadiums can soon admit supporters will strengthen his club's case to get fans back into grounds.
The Dons had 300 spectator sat ate steven tin September but a second wave of the pandemic put paid to followup plans. However, clubs in the Highlands have recently welcomed back limited numbers of fans and the UK Government plans to relax rules in England from December 2.
Stadiums in the lowest tier of restrictions in England will be allowed to be half-full, up to a maximum of 4,000, while the numbers for middle -tier regions will be limited to 2,000.
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has been at the forefront of calls for the Scottish Government to relax rules on stadium events and Mcinnes hop es the English develop - ment will help his case.
"It's a real positive step," he said. "The JRG (Joint Response Group) have already come out with a statement looking for some clarity from the government to see if we can move things forward in our country. It's exactly what our chairman has been asking for.
"It's a step in the right direction. If we can follow suit in the not too distant future then it gives everybody encouragement. We feel we can cater for certain numbers of supporters in the fresh air and hopefully if the English clubs can deliver that then it strengthens our case here."
Aberdeen is in the middle tier of five for lockdown restrictions in Scotland but the Highlands are one level lower, giving Ross County manager Stuart Kettlewell encouragement that they can increase the 300 limit they have had to stick to.
"That was really promising for everybody," Kettlewell said of the UK Government' s decision ." Really, really positive when you look at the numbers we could possibly bring into our ground. Hopefully we follow suit and we see the opportunity to do the same in Scotland as well because it would be a real timely boost for everybody in the country.”
Meanw hi le,Mc inn es welcomed the Scottish Football Association' s response to his and other managers' comments over the Scotland Under -21 corona virus outbreak. Ross Mccrorie tested positive after returning from under-21 duty and team-mates Connor Mclennan and Lewis Ferguson were among eight other players instructed to self-isolate.
After two under -21 backroom members tested positive over the weekend, and other SFA staff were told to stay at home, chief executive Ian Maxwell ordered a review of the protocols and apologised to the affected clubs.
Mcinnes said: "We were all encouraged that the chief executive came out and issued an apology and recognised with the benefit of hindsight that things could have been done better .”
Aberdeen manager Derek Mcinnes is sure his decimated squad can still produce results.
The Dons will again be without nine players at Hamilton tonight.Mc Inn es had four young players without any first-team experience on his bench during Sunday' s 4-0 defeat by Rangers, and the five other substitutes only had one league start between them this season.
Scotland Under-21 trio Ross Mccrorie, Lewis Ferguson and Connor Mclennan dropped out because of Covid-19 issues while Scott Wright and Niall Mcginn joined Jonny Hayes, Marley Watkins, Dylan Mcgeouch and Tomas Cerny on the injury list.
Tonight’ s trip to face Scottish Premiership bottom club Hamilton is the second of six away games in seven matches that the Dons face amid their selection problems.
Mcinnes said: "Even with the difficulties we have, it's important we recognise we still have a good squad of players, we are still capable of picking up results. And hopefully we will star t another unbeaten and winning run on Wednesday.
"We have obvious ch allenges, a lot of what has been good about the team has been speed, and arguably five of the best performers - Mccrorie, Ferguson, Hayes, Wright, Watkins - if you take five key players out of any team then it will have an effect.
"The good thing for me is I know we have better players
to come back. We have now given the opportunity to ones who have not played as much. It's a chance for them to show their capabilities. And there is no doubt for me that with the personnel we have got available, we can still win games and navigate our way through the next few weeks until we get hopefully something like our strongest squad back."
Hamilton defender Scott M cm ann believes they can build on their improved weekend performance and end their losing streak when they host the Dons.
Accies suffered a fifth successive defeat on Saturday when they lost 2-1 against Dundee United at Tannadice.
But they led until United scored two late goals and then
Ross Callachan missed a penalty after earlier putting Hamilton ahead.
After conceding 17 goals in three Scottish Premier ship matches and losing to League Two Stranraer in the Betfred Cup, head coach Brian Rice employed a new three -man central defence with versatile defender Hake em O do ff in playing in central midfield.
And Mcmann said he felt far more comfortable in the new set-up.
"Over the past month or six weeks it's not been good enough and I think on Saturday it was vastly improved from what it has been," he said. "We looked a lot more organised.
"We were obviously devastated to get beat the way we did
but we were encouraged going into Wednesday. It's the first time in a few weeks we have felt during a game we have been solid and can go and win the game, so hopefully it can be the turning point for us.
"Naturally we have been a bit down the past couple of weeks but that seems to have flipped a little bit and the mentality is a bit more positive now.”