Celtic last night released a statement backing the SPFL’s move to request an emergency meeting with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon over the return of fans to stadia.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed his plan to allow stadiums in England to bring fans back. Those in Tier 1 can host 4,000 fans, whilst stadiums in Tier 2 can accommodate 2,000 supporters (Sky News).

However, this is a move that’s yet to be replicated by Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland. Instead, she continues to dismiss football’s concerns and appears to almost take great pleasure in doing so.

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The Scottish Government have yet to provide a logical reason as to why supporters cannot socially distance in football stadiums. This is despite the fact that they’re happy for kids to gather in schools and shoppers to mix in supermarkets.

Even for stadiums in Tier 2 in Scotland, fans are still banned from seeing their team. That’s despite the fact it’s clearly a safer event than going to the supermarket/shops would be. Even the cinemas were able to socially distance customers whilst football was still being told no.

Football clubs have been working tirelessly to come up with protocols and procedures that could welcome fans back. Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack revealed last week that his club could host 3,000 supporters at Pittodrie when they’re given the green light to do so (Evening Express).

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So there’s a platform there for a discussion. But it’s a discussion that the SNP continuously seem to want to avoid discussing. Sturgeon was questioned on it yesterday, and she showed no signs of letting up in her crusade to keep many fans locked out (Daily Record).

For Celtic and clubs based in Glasgow/Lanarkshire, you can understand why they’re locked out just now. There’s a necessary lockdown happening to curb the spread of the virus and the case numbers tell you all you need to know about why that’s necessary.

However, Hearts and Hibs for example can’t host despite being in Tier 2. Despite the fact that the public can gather in coffee shops and shopping centres. Sure, there are social distancing protocols put in place by the appropriate authorities, but it can be the same at a football ground.

An empty Celtic Park

An empty Celtic Park / (Photo by Andrew Milligan/Pool via Getty Images)

Still, Sturgeon refuses to actually come up with a logical reason as to why football is treated differently to more dangerous activities that are still allowed to go ahead in many areas.

So Celtic’s backing of the SPFL’s statement is by far the right thing to do, and many of the supporters agree with that idea too (although many were clearly also expecting a different kind of statement when you go through the replies).

Reacting to the statement, here’s a look at some of the fan reaction:

 

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