Confirmed: Scottish Government announce restricted crowd numbers for Celtic and Scottish football

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The Scottish Government have confirmed there will be a restriction of crowd numbers at Scottish football matches, including Celtic games.

Just 500 people will be allowed into stadia, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told parliament this afternoon.

The new restrictions, designed to combat the spread of the ‘Omicron’ Covid-19 variant, come into force from 26th December for three weeks, meaning games against St Mirren and St Johnstone this week are not impacted.

However, upcoming home matches against Hibernian and Rangers are now scheduled to have a drastically reduced crowd at Celtic Park.

This is a blow to Celtic considering we had to face our rivals in a packed out Ibrox earlier in the season, with none of our own fans in attendance.

It’s unclear at this stage whether the SPFL will move the January winter break forward to this time period, but it would make sense and in my opinion. They now have a serious decision to make.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “From 26 December – inclusive – for a period of up to three weeks, we intend to place limits on the size of public events that can take place. This does not apply to private life events such as weddings.

“For indoor standing events the limit will be 100; for indoor seated events it will be 200; and for outdoor events it will be 500 seated or standing.

“Physical distancing of one metre will be required at events that go ahead within these limits.

“This will of course make sports matches, including football, effectively spectator-free over this three week period.”

Football in Scotland has been significantly boosted this season by the return of crowds to matches. Passionate fans are almost the league’s unique selling point, so the SPFL must do what it can to preserve that.

It’s true that the movement of the winter break ahead to December would effectively shift the potential problem down the road. There is of course no guarantee that restrictions will only last three weeks.

However, it could buy the league, and society, the time needed to have busy stadiums as much as possible this season.

In other news, The Forrest, Turnbull and Kyogo fitness situation ahead of St Mirren vs Celtic.