Mccoist urges SFA to move the Cup final and let fans in
Ally Mccoist has urged Scottish football authorities to do everything in their power to allow at least some fans to attend next month’s Scottish Cup final.
The former Scotland striker has backed calls to stage the showpiece occasion at Ibrox or Celtic Park with one of Rangers and Celtic guaranteed to be eliminated from the Scottish Cup this weekend.
The fourth-round clash between the teams has been rearranged due to Prince Philip’s funeral on Saturday. Originally scheduled to take place that afternoon at 4pm, the Old Firm clash has been moved to the following day at 3pm. If they can change this at such short notice, Mccoist argues, why is it not possible to switch the venue of the Scottish Cup final on 22 May from Hampden.
The national stadium will
then be under the control of Uefa while it is being prepared to host four Euro 2020 matches. The SFA, who now own the stadium, have claimed the terms of the contract signed with Uefa together with the Scottish government’s own gateway events programme means no fans will be allowed in before Scotland v Czech Republic on 14 June, when 12,000 supporters are to be given access.
“I get that it might be a reason – it could even be an excuse,” said Mccoist. “But, in these times, there’s a case for everyone ripping everything up. We have been making it up as we go along. Rightly or wrongly, that’s what we’ve been doing because we’ve never been in this situation
“So, if negotiations could take place to let fans into the final, wherever it may be, it can only be a good thing. There has to be a little bit of leeway, a bit of come and go in these times and this situation.
“It would have been fantastic for St Johnstone to have some of their fans here to see them lift the League Cup,” he added. “It wasn’t possible. But unless they’re telling us it’s still impossible, which we haven’t heard, we should make great efforts and strides to have fans into the final, wherever it may be.
“Nothing is impossible,” he added. “We’ve been through this for well over a year now, it’s great we’ve had football – but let’s take it the next step now. If Celtic get through and the final is at Ibrox or vice-versa, it would be fantastic. It’s happened before, we’ve had cup finals at both stadiums before and they’ve been a success. It’s clearly not the venue that would be a problem, that’s for sure.
“I have been lucky enough to go to a good few games up the road and down the road Liverpool, Spurs, all over the place, but the games when I have really missed it, believe it or not, have been the Old Firm games and the likes of maybe Rangers v Aberdeen.
“These are the games when you actually think, ‘this place, with an atmosphere, would be completely different’. Obviously safely is of paramount importance, I get that, and that’s the first thing to look at, but if you can do it safely, come on, we have to get fans back into games. Those Old Firm games (without fans) are eerie, there’s something not right about it.”
•Ally Mccoist was speaking to promote coverage of Rangers v Celtic exclusively live on Premier Sports this weekend. Premier Sports is available on Sky, Virgin TV and the Premier Player. Prices start from £10.99 per month.