Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has announced that she may block the return of football even if it is behind closed doors, according to a BBC Sport website.
When speaking on her daily briefing, the First Minister explained why she feels that it would still be a risk to allow games to take place:
“We have to consider if that completely takes away the risk, if a match is still on TV, the danger is people will congregate together to watch.
“What I will say is they will be very carefully considered and we’ll share as much of that as we can.
“We want to get a semblance of normality back to people’s lives but we cant risk a resurgence of this virus.”
The SPFL has already shut down the 2019/20 season for the lower leagues and are believed to be seeking permission to call-off the Premiership as well, giving more time to return to action safely for 2020/21 when the new Sky TV deal will begin.
Celtic fans reacted to the news with little surprise, some predicting a similar outcome to the lower leagues and the demise of clubs across the country, with the severity of the coronavirus pandemic and the impact that it is having on countries around the world, few could blame them.
And the SPFL are taking flak off journalists for not waiting to see if we could finish the fixtures and start a new league by September. Chick and Tom the worst culprits. pic.twitter.com/IaW44CRA8m
— Rab (@bhoab) April 20, 2020
Celtic champions. Hearts down. End the season as it stands, only fair way.
— Cole (@coledrummond67) April 20, 2020
The PM should make this clear to the EPL FA and UEFA. Only played when fans can attend. “Football without fans is nothing”.
— Graham Senior (@citydoc56) April 20, 2020
A lot of clubs gonna go into liquidation very soon..
— jack (@penecelt) April 20, 2020
“breaking news” eh 🤫. What’s breaking about it ????? Like the same journalists will all act surprised in 3 weeks when the lockdown will prob have another few weeks added to it.
— Manky Bianchi (@manky_bianchi) April 20, 2020
And one fan expressed what many Hoops fans will be thinking/hoping for given the obvious financial hardship being felt by clubs all over the continent…
RIP Rangers lol.
— Luigi P Scappattici (@luiScapp68) April 20, 2020