2021 Scottish Cup Campaign

[weeyin 3,574]

Hope Fortmartine and Annan weren't watching today's Leeds game.

[C&A not the shop 40]

Typical the time we get a fun away draw we can't get fans in.

[weeyin 3,574]

6 minutes ago, C&A not the shop said:

Typical the time we get a fun away draw we can't get fans in.

At least it avoids the "will everyone get a ticket" panic.

[santheman 149]

1 hour ago, Stuwell2 said:

I’m sure it was said at the time of the initial draws back in November that any team playing an SPFL team would have to adhere to the same testing regulations in the week leading up to the game.  
 

From SFA website

• From Round Three onwards, clubs drawn to play against SPFL Premiership teams must comply with the relevant COVID testing regime which applies at that time or as directed by the Scottish FA Board.

Cheers for that Stu

[C&A not the shop 40]

4 hours ago, weeyin said:

At least it avoids the "will everyone get a ticket" panic.

Every pandemic has a silver lining.

[Toxteth O'Grady 213]

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/scottish-fa-board-confirms-three-week-suspension-of-professional-football-beneath-spfl-championship/?rid=14258

Monday 11 January 2021

The Scottish FA Board met last night to discuss the escalating COVID-19 situation across the country and its impact on the national game at all levels.

While the updated Scottish Government guidance permits the continuation of professional sport, the board meeting, which followed a Joint Response Group discussion on the matter last Friday, nevertheless considered the implications of doing so at all tiers of the Scottish football professional pyramid, against a backdrop of increased positive cases across the country.

In particular, the board gave extensive consideration to making a decision in the interests of public health, taking cognisance of the government’s wish to reduce travel and possible contact with others whilst safeguarding commercial broadcasting contracts that sustain the professional game.

Following a meeting between the Scottish FA and the Minister for Public Health Sport and Wellbeing, both parties have agreed to impose a temporary suspension of all football beneath the Scottish Professional Football League Championship, encompassing all predominantly part-time tiers of the Scottish professional pyramid, from midnight tonight.

The impacted leagues are: SPFL League One, SPFL League Two, Scottish Women’s Football Premier Leagues 1 & 2, Highland League, Lowland League, East, West & South of Scotland Leagues, Scottish Junior FA Leagues and the North Caledonian League.

Based on the imperatives of acting in the best interests of public health and participant safety, whilst ensuring professional clubs’ survival, the SPFL Premiership will be exempt from the suspension, provided it continues to adhere to the stringent testing protocols.

The SPFL Championship will also be able to continue provided it commences weekly PCR testing.

The suspension of the game below the SPFL Premiership and Championship will be for three weeks, until 31st January, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis by the Scottish FA Board in partnership with Scottish Government.

The Scottish Cup will also be suspended, with any matches scheduled to be played prior to the 1st February to be rescheduled in due course.

Rod Petrie, Scottish FA President: “The Scottish FA is well aware of the efforts all clubs take to comply with the exacting protocols that were conditional on elite football being given an exemption to continue amid the pandemic.

“None the less the continuation of football at all levels has weighed increasingly heavy on me as President, my colleagues on the board and the Joint Response Group as we have watched the new strain of the virus spread rapidly.

“While the national sport has been afforded the privilege of elite sporting exemption, the risk of mass transportation of untested, largely part-time players is something that cannot be sustained as the cases continue to rise and available hospital beds become increasingly scarce.

“After discussions with the SPFL, the Premiership and Championship will continue on the proviso that both adhere to the existing testing regime. The vast majority of teams in those divisions are full-time professional clubs and so the risk of transmission remains manageably low. The cost implications to lower-division clubs was one factor but so too the realisation that many – with some notable exceptions – consist of part-time players who are either prevented from working due to the virus or have to work.

“In either case, the risk is currently too great amid the developing nationwide spread of the virus.

“Much has been said of football’s relationship with the Scottish Government during the pandemic. As President of the Scottish FA and Chair of the Joint Response Group, I am grateful for the clinical expertise provided by government specifically to football and for the timely award of £30m in grant and loan funding for the game. 

“We reiterate our commitment to playing our part in the collective effort to eradicate the virus.”

[Spiderpig 708]

I expect the premiership and championship  will be next, if things don't improve 

[Stu92 100]

I think things are improving, just not very quickly. If the professional bubbles work as they're supposed to and clubs can cut out the piss-ups by the pool non-essential travel then there's no reason that our league can't continue uninterrupted despite prevalence in the general population.

 

[C&A not the shop 40]

4 hours ago, Stu92 said:

I think things are improving, just not very quickly. If the professional bubbles work as they're supposed to and clubs can cut out the piss-ups by the pool non-essential travel then there's no reason that our league can't continue uninterrupted despite prevalence in the general population.

 

Relying on footballers to follow the rules is surely the big issue there.

More games pushed back to the tail end of the season, I've no idea when we'll get spaces to fit in the Killie and St Mirren games if the appeal succeeds.

Id take an end to the season now on points per game, that should keep us up....

[Stuwell2 31]

Does anyone think that the fact Celtic played last night rather than trying to pull a fast one and postponing the game with so many players out indicates that possibly the pending appeal’s will be chucked out?

[weeyin 3,574]

Despite my lack of confidence in the governing authorities in general, I always thought the appeals would fail. This was based on the published judgement that pretty much addressed every objection either club might have and explained the justification for the punishments.

Of course, we'll find out soon enough if my optimism was misplaced.

 

 

[Spiderpig 708]

14 minutes ago, Stuwell2 said:

Does anyone think that the fact Celtic played last night rather than trying to pull a fast one and postponing the game with so many players out indicates that possibly the pending appeal’s will be chucked out?

The so called weakened side they put out was stronger than most people expected, but fair play to them for playing the match. That's what both killie and StM should have done but they chose not to and tried to hide behind dodgy advice from their local health board,  so yes I am confident both appeals will not be upheld.

But as this is the shambles that is the SPFL / SFA  then anything could happen. 

[Andy_P 1,780]

4 hours ago, weeyin said:

Despite my lack of confidence in the governing authorities in general, I always thought the appeals would fail. This was based on the published judgement that pretty much addressed every objection either club might have and explained the justification for the punishments.

Of course, we'll find out soon enough if my optimism was misplaced.

I'm of much the same mind.  I was as surprised with the depth and clarity of the explanations offered as I was with the actual 3-0 determinations.

[santheman 149]

4 hours ago, weeyin said:

Despite my lack of confidence in the governing authorities in general, I always thought the appeals would fail. This was based on the published judgement that pretty much addressed every objection either club might have and explained the justification for the punishments.

Of course, we'll find out soon enough if my optimism was misplaced.

 

 

I don’t even know what the basis of their appeals are.

Are they appealing on a technical issue over the decision or just that the punishment is disproportionate to the offence.

They wouldn’t win on the first point not so sure about the 2nd.

[Kmcalpin 1,013]

Another possible aspect to the appeals is that the Scottish Government is watching top flight football very closely just now and any action that could be seen as being soft on wrongdoers might not go down too well. 

[middleeastdave 66]

So I take it there will be no fixtures for 30th Jan now?

[Toxteth O'Grady 213]

8 minutes ago, middleeastdave said:

So I take it there will be no fixtures for 30th Jan now?

Yup, perfect time for us to play either Kilmarnock or St Mirren