We completely forgot to cover this one, such is the eventful nature of the world right now and the fast-moving pace of Scottish football.
But Neil Doncaster’s begs to Nicola Sturgeon to let fans back in is truly one of the most cringeworthy statements we’ve yet seen made at the upper echelons of power in this country, and came across like a child asking for a sweetie from their parent.
Don’t get us wrong, we do miss fans, and we also look forward to the day they’re back, but at the same time health comes first and the government has to be absolutely sure it’s safe to do so before they even consider allowing it.
His beg in full:
“Scottish football fans are the most passionate in Europe, with more league attendances per capita than any other country, so our clubs have been hit far harder by the lock-out than those in England because we depend much more heavily on gate receipts.
“Every major club in Scotland has very detailed, well-founded plans in place for safely returning fans back to stadiums, and thousands upon thousands of Scottish fans are simply desperate to get back quickly to watching their teams in the safety of a carefully-managed, open-air environment.
“We are now calling on the First Minister to do the right thing by Scotland’s hard-pressed football supporters. If it’s good enough for English fans, it must be good enough for Scottish fans.
“If the First Minister refuses to allow football fans all over Scotland to watch their beloved teams in carefully-regulated, limited numbers, complete with track and trace, she will have to explain to them the clinical difference between Scottish fans and English fans.
“Make no mistake, failure to get fans back in the very near future will sound the death knell for some of our best-loved clubs and no-one wants that.
“The First Minister alone has the opportunity to put a smile on the faces of Scottish football fans and give them a much-needed early Christmas present and we are calling for meaningful, urgent engagement.
“Despite the enormous financial consequences, our clubs have followed every directive and every instruction from the Scottish Government for month after month. Clubs, supporters and players have been hugely patient. Apart from supporter safety, there is no higher priority for our game. It’s now time to get the fans back.
“We have written to the First Minister seeking an emergency meeting, because time is really against us. We will meet with her at any time, day or night, to fit in with her busy schedule and we await her response.
“The clubs have done the hard work of putting their plans in place for the safe return of fans in limited numbers. All we need now is for the First Minister to say ‘Yes’.”
Where do we begin with this?
First off, the ‘clinical’ difference between English and Scottish fans is that not all English fans have been let back in either! Scotland has suffered a spike in cases the past few months, and safety protocol dictates strong measures to prevent the spread. The parts of England that have allowed fans back in have got it more under control, and even then, it’s only 2000 that would be let in.
And the rest just reads like a whining immature prefect telling the headmaster he’s wrong, and the kids should really be allowed back in the dangerous PE hall.
In truth, why is he saying this? Because it preserves his own job.
1: By releasing this comment, he looks like he’s actually doing something for the game, actually speaking in its defence.
2: The reality is a few fans back in won’t make any difference – the crowds as a whole need to return, and we’re absolutely nowhere near ready for that yet.
No, Doncaster, once again is unfit for purpose, putting his own job before the health of the nation.
Still, wouldn’t be the first time he’d been self serving would it?
This wretch will do anything to save his overpaid arse. He’s incompetent and should have been sacked a long time ago following the various shambolic Green Biased decisions he oversaw . I hope he crashes and burns but being a snake he’ll survive .
I’d be happy to do the job for a small fraction of Doncaster’s £500k salary. I would be happy to work from home, won’t do very much, and won’t bring in any sponsorship money. So really I’ve got all the attributes required for the job.
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