The Hypothetical Roadmap to Getting Fans Back in the SPFL Grounds Discussion

[The Master]

Hearts and Motherwell have asked the SPFL to clarify the current situation around no away fans at Celtic Park and Ibrox.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58719605

Rule I27 seems pretty clear. The clubs need to agree an away allocation, and if there's no agreement it's left to the SPFL board.

Quote

I27  The Home club must make provision for the admission of such reasonable number of visiting supporters at every home League Match and Play-Off Match as may be agreed in advance with the Visiting Club and, in the event of their being unable to agree such number not later than 14 days prior to the date of the League Match or Play-Off Match in question, the number of visiting supporters allowed shall be determined by the Board whose decision shall be final and binding.

 

[Theyellowbox]

44 minutes ago, The Master said:

Hearts and Motherwell have asked the SPFL to clarify the current situation around no away fans at Celtic Park and Ibrox.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58719605

Rule I27 seems pretty clear. The clubs need to agree an away allocation, and if there's no agreement it's left to the SPFL board.

 

Playing devil's advocate here, but would Rantic not just argue that because they have sold out season tickets, it is right to honour those first before providing an away allocation?

I doubt for a second they couldn't accommodate some away fans, but maybe, by the time you take into account the lost seats for segregation etc it may mean some ST holders would be locked out.

For cup games, there is zero excuse at ST's are unlikely to be valid.

Of course, regardless of the arguments, if found to be in the wrong, the SFA/SPFL will not punish either club whatsoever. 

[Loonytoons]

Are they not using Covid as the reason/excuse to over rule the SPFL criteria for away fan attendance?

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[HibeeJibee]

Surprise surprise - passports due to come into force on Friday have now been delayed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58721564

On paper they are still "required" from Friday 1st October but in practice this won't be "enforced" until Monday 18th October, which misses another 3 weekends of domestic football including Scotland v Israel. We'll see whether the can is kicked again in another fortnight or so.

Opposition parties have called a fresh vote tomorrow, but presumably is not binding, and will likely survive with Green support anyway; while legal challenge by the nightclubs association is still proceeding.

As there is no definition of 'reasonable' clubs could probably get away with cursorily checking a fraction of those in line anyway.

[ropy]

Reasonable spot checks would be 1% for me.

[gannonball]

Going to feel sorry for the stewards over next few weekends tbh, can see plenty da’s losing their shit at them.

[AJF]

5 minutes ago, gannonball said:

Going to feel sorry for the stewards over next few weekends tbh, can see plenty da’s losing their shit at them.

Aye, they’ve been put in a horrible situation.

[ropy]

Downloaded the app and registered today, other than taking a clear photograph of my passport it was a doddle.

[AJF]

Got chatting to a steward entering Ibrox yesterday. They had been instructed to ask everyone entering if they had a vaccine passport and were tallying up the responses but did not require proof of it yesterday but this will change from our next home game vs Hearts. She said she is considering not working that day as she thinks it's going to be a shambles as they have not had any clear instructions on how it is going to work as of yet.

[Clown Job]

17 minutes ago, ropy said:

Downloaded the app and registered today, other than taking a clear photograph of my passport it was a doddle.

Aye same, no issues with it at all 

Starting to think I was the only one seeing some of the stories on social media about the app 

[Dundee Hibernian]

While Covid continues to be used as an excuse by the cheeks to exclude away supporters at the biggest two grounds in the top league, it was interesting to note the rows and rows of people wearing military outfits at Ibrox yesterday. 

Were extra seats added into the ground just for the occasion?

[Handsome John]

Reports starting to come through that Red Zones and associated distancing requirement scrapped for players. 

looks like no more excuses for Rangers and Celtic to stop other clubs but each other attending matches. 

[lubo_blaha]

Reports starting to come through that Red Zones and associated distancing requirement scrapped for players. 
looks like no more excuses for Rangers and Celtic to stop other clubs but each other attending matches. 

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/joint-response-group-update-5-october/?rid=14258

[topcat(The most tip top)]

Aberdeen announce that as they don’t expect five figure crowds this passport business is nothing to do with them

 

 

[kingjoey]

43 minutes ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

Aberdeen announce that as they don’t expect five figure crowds this passport business is nothing to do with them

 

 

Well, they’re right if there isn’t at least 10,000 of a crowd. That is an actual fact.

[topcat(The most tip top)]

1 minute ago, kingjoey said:

Well, they’re right if there isn’t at least 10,000 of a crowd. That is an actual fact.

I’d expected some Aberdeen fans to lose interest after a lacklustre start to the season but surely it’s not that bad already 

[kingjoey]

7 minutes ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

I’d expected some Aberdeen fans to lose interest after a lacklustre start to the season but surely it’s not that bad already 

Can only speak for me and the guy I go to games with, but we’ll be at both games.

[HibeeJibee]

Aberdeen's published crowds against Ross County (14,434) and St Johnstone (13,007) and Celtic (14,522 televised on a Sunday lunchtime) were all far in excess of 10,000.

Even if you trust the government to remove the law come March: they've got home games against Hearts and Hibs later this month... Dundee in Boxing Day... Rangers between Christmas and New Year... Celtic and Dundee in February... plus possible Scottish Cup ties.

They seem to have undertaken a fan survey: the results of which purportedly showed only 65% of ST holders intend to actually come along to games... the consequence of which is they predict crowds of 9,700 i.e. just under limit... the effect of which is the scheme doesn't apply to them.

Sounds like a big and helpful loophole which Hearts and Hibs could presumably utilise as well.

Plus if goes over 9,999 about 10mins before KO you can hardly go around checking people retrospectively.


On another note I see that Edinburgh Rugby has been told they need to enforce the scheme for crowds over 4,000: as their new ground includes areas of "safe standing". This will potentially draw in big games at the likes of Ayr, Morton and QotS e.g. Ayrshire derbies.

Edited October 7, 2021 by HibeeJibee

[AJF]

Fair play to them I say. If ridiculous rules are going to be imposed on clubs then if they can manufacture a way around it then go for it.

[Guest Flash]

12 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

On another note I see that Edinburgh Rugby has been told they need to enforce the scheme for crowds over 4,000: as their new ground includes areas of "safe standing". This will potentially draw in big games at the likes of Ayr, Morton and QotS e.g. Ayrshire derbies.

This will be because the scheme applies to crowds of 4,000 or over where not everybody is seated.
So, at Palmerston if we just open the stands, there would be about 3,300 people crammed in together but the scheme wouldn’t apply. However, if an extra 700 were allowed onto the two terracing areas that hold about 5,600 between them (so about 12.5% occupation) we’d need to operate the scheme.

Edited October 8, 2021 by Flash