SPFL Formally Requests Emergency Meeting with First Minister

Fergie11

Well-Known Member
News release
Wednesday, November 25th 2020
For Immediate Release
SPFL Formally Requests Emergency Meeting with First Minister

League Warns Failure to Mirror English Fans’ Return Will ‘Sound Death Knell’ The SPFL has today written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon asking for an emergency meeting to end the lock-out of fans across the country.

Following the announcement that clubs in England have been given the green light to welcome fans back, the SPFL’s chief executive Neil Doncaster has issued a direct appeal to the First Minister on behalf of the country’s 42 professional clubs (see attached letter) to very quickly let Scottish fans back into stadia in carefully-managed, meaningful numbers.

Mr Doncaster said: “Scottish football fans are the most passionate in Europe, with more league attendances per capita than any other country, so our clubs have been hit far harder by the lock-out than those in England because we depend much more heavily on gate receipts.

“Every major club in Scotland has very detailed, well-founded plans in place for safely returning fans back to stadiums, and thousands upon thousands of Scottish fans are simply desperate to get back quickly to watching their teams in the safety of a carefully-managed, open-air environment.

“We are now calling on the First Minister to do the right thing by Scotland’s hard-pressed football supporters. If it’s good enough for English fans, it must be good enough for Scottish fans.

“If the First Minister refuses to allow football fans all over Scotland to watch their beloved teams in carefully-regulated, limited numbers, complete with track and trace, she will have to explain to them the clinical difference between Scottish fans and English fans.

“Make no mistake, failure to get fans back in the very near future will sound the death knell for some of our best-loved clubs and no-one wants that.

“The First Minister alone has the opportunity to put a smile on the faces of Scottish football fans and give them a much-needed early Christmas present and we are calling for meaningful, urgent engagement.

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“Despite the enormous financial consequences, our clubs have followed every directive and every instruction from the Scottish Government for month after month. Clubs, supporters and players have been hugely patient. Apart from supporter safety, there is no higher priority for our game. It’s now time to get the fans back.

“We have written to the First Minister seeking an emergency meeting, because time is really against us. We will meet with her at any time, day or night, to fit in with her busy schedule and we await her response.

“The clubs have done the hard work of putting their plans in place for the safe return of fans in limited numbers. All we need now is for the First Minister to say ‘Yes’.”

ENDS
 
The Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP
First Minister of Scotland
The Scottish Government
St Andrew’s House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

Dear First Minister

From your enthusiastic reaction to the magnificent achievement of the men’s Scottish national team earlier this month, it’s clear you share a passion for our game.

I am sure you are equally keen to safeguard the very future of Scotland’s national sport, which has been hit far harder by the lock-out than south of the border because it depends much more heavily on gate receipts.

For almost nine months, and despite the enormous financial consequences, our clubs have fastidiously followed every directive and every instruction from your Government. Clubs, supporters and players have been hugely patient as we have played our full part in the national effort to combat coronavirus.

However, with the very welcome news that clubs in England are being allowed to bring back fans in limited numbers, we are seeking urgent talks with you to ensure that Scottish clubs, and Scottish fans are permitted to do the same in very short order.

As you will know, every major club in Scotland has very detailed, well-founded plans in place for safely returning fans back to stadiums. Thousands upon thousands of Scottish fans are simply desperate to get back to watching their teams in the safety of a carefully-managed, open-air environment. Apart from supporter safety, there is no higher priority for our game. It’s now time to get the fans back.

Scottish football is on its knees and clubs big and small the length and breadth of the country are in the most dire straits, with income projected to drop by £100 million this season alone. Failure to get fans back in the very near future will sound the death knell for some of our bestloved clubs, which would be a tragedy on many levels, given the enormous contribution they make to the economic, cultural and community life of our nation. No-one wants that to happen.

You alone have the chance to put a much-needed smile on the faces of millions of Scottish football fans, giving them an early Christmas present by quickly approving the carefullymanaged return of fans across the country.

The response amongst Scottish supporters to the news about English football fans returning has been resounding and, having taken extensive soundings at all levels of our game, I have been asked to request an emergency meeting with you, because time is really against us.

Together with senior representatives from our clubs, we are entirely at your disposal. We will meet with you under any circumstances, remotely or in person, day or night, to fit in with your busy schedule and we eagerly await your response.

Yours sincerely
Neil Doncaster
Chief Executive
 
They mentioned it just now on the CV update reading out his comments , Doncaster came across as a dick if I’m being honest
 
The Scottish tier system allows fans in

The English didn't hence the pressure but again it depends which area and it's tier level will allow fans in

The sooner the better for all of us that want to return to watching football in person
 
The Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP
First Minister of Scotland
The Scottish Government
St Andrew’s House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

Dear First Minister

From your enthusiastic reaction to the magnificent achievement of the men’s Scottish national team earlier this month, it’s clear you share a passion for our game.

I am sure you are equally keen to safeguard the very future of Scotland’s national sport, which has been hit far harder by the lock-out than south of the border because it depends much more heavily on gate receipts.

For almost nine months, and despite the enormous financial consequences, our clubs have fastidiously followed every directive and every instruction from your Government. Clubs, supporters and players have been hugely patient as we have played our full part in the national effort to combat coronavirus.

However, with the very welcome news that clubs in England are being allowed to bring back fans in limited numbers, we are seeking urgent talks with you to ensure that Scottish clubs, and Scottish fans are permitted to do the same in very short order.

As you will know, every major club in Scotland has very detailed, well-founded plans in place for safely returning fans back to stadiums. Thousands upon thousands of Scottish fans are simply desperate to get back to watching their teams in the safety of a carefully-managed, open-air environment. Apart from supporter safety, there is no higher priority for our game. It’s now time to get the fans back.

Scottish football is on its knees and clubs big and small the length and breadth of the country are in the most dire straits, with income projected to drop by £100 million this season alone. Failure to get fans back in the very near future will sound the death knell for some of our bestloved clubs, which would be a tragedy on many levels, given the enormous contribution they make to the economic, cultural and community life of our nation. No-one wants that to happen.

You alone have the chance to put a much-needed smile on the faces of millions of Scottish football fans, giving them an early Christmas present by quickly approving the carefullymanaged return of fans across the country.

The response amongst Scottish supporters to the news about English football fans returning has been resounding and, having taken extensive soundings at all levels of our game, I have been asked to request an emergency meeting with you, because time is really against us.

Together with senior representatives from our clubs, we are entirely at your disposal. We will meet with you under any circumstances, remotely or in person, day or night, to fit in with your busy schedule and we eagerly await your response.

Yours sincerely
Neil Doncaster
Chief Executive

Wonder if they'll get a robotic reply like the one they send regarding CSA at the piggery
 
Said a few times now, the front loaded aspect of football finances means teams are going to struggle to keep the lights on in the 2nd half of the season with no fans in.
 
I see Doncaster typing but I hear Lawell dictating.

The fans will return when safe to do so, not before.
 
I’ll go for her reply being along the lines of

now is not the time to risk all our hard work in the continuing containment of the virus by letting supporters return to games, but let me be clear as soon as the science allows I will certainly consider the request by mr Lawell I mean mr Doncaster to let a few thousand Celtic fans return
 
Surely we have big commercial and TV rights contracts to see us through ya speccy hot dog? Prick
 
Sturgeon's passion is Scotland, not scottish clubs. Qualifying for 2020 was a positive Scottish thing, so inevitably Sturgeon would want to be seen to be part of it.

I suspect that we will not be having fans back in the stadia any time soon because the Nats will be crapping themselves over a repeat of the care homes disaster where they clearly panicked and sent covid positive pensioners into care homes with barely a second thought because they were terrified of overload in the hospitals.

That on top of the fecked-up handling of the Nike conference in Edinburgh means that Holyrood will be over-cautious.

They don't understand the economic impact of the covid restrictions on all businesses that require customers to enter the premises, probably because there is no-one in Holyrood, and probably also Westminster, with small business experience.

Severe lockdown will bring down infection rates, but have huge impact on hospitality and football type businesses. Tough to come up with a workable alternative, but my feeling is that more trust in the population to take responsibility for their own well-being in necessary.

If people are unwilling to sanitise their hands, maintain a 2 metre distance, wear a mask, etc. then hell mend them. Let them catch covid and let the rest of us have as close to a normal existence as possible, doing the things we like to do.
 
The Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP
First Minister of Scotland
The Scottish Government
St Andrew’s House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

Dear First Minister

From your enthusiastic reaction to the magnificent achievement of the men’s Scottish national team earlier this month, it’s clear you share a passion for our game.

I am sure you are equally keen to safeguard the very future of Scotland’s national sport, which has been hit far harder by the lock-out than south of the border because it depends much more heavily on gate receipts.

For almost nine months, and despite the enormous financial consequences, our clubs have fastidiously followed every directive and every instruction from your Government. Clubs, supporters and players have been hugely patient as we have played our full part in the national effort to combat coronavirus.

However, with the very welcome news that clubs in England are being allowed to bring back fans in limited numbers, we are seeking urgent talks with you to ensure that Scottish clubs, and Scottish fans are permitted to do the same in very short order.

As you will know, every major club in Scotland has very detailed, well-founded plans in place for safely returning fans back to stadiums. Thousands upon thousands of Scottish fans are simply desperate to get back to watching their teams in the safety of a carefully-managed, open-air environment. Apart from supporter safety, there is no higher priority for our game. It’s now time to get the fans back.

Scottish football is on its knees and clubs big and small the length and breadth of the country are in the most dire straits, with income projected to drop by £100 million this season alone. Failure to get fans back in the very near future will sound the death knell for some of our bestloved clubs, which would be a tragedy on many levels, given the enormous contribution they make to the economic, cultural and community life of our nation. No-one wants that to happen.

You alone have the chance to put a much-needed smile on the faces of millions of Scottish football fans, giving them an early Christmas present by quickly approving the carefullymanaged return of fans across the country.

The response amongst Scottish supporters to the news about English football fans returning has been resounding and, having taken extensive soundings at all levels of our game, I have been asked to request an emergency meeting with you, because time is really against us.

Together with senior representatives from our clubs, we are entirely at your disposal. We will meet with you under any circumstances, remotely or in person, day or night, to fit in with your busy schedule and we eagerly await your response.

Yours sincerely
Neil Doncaster
Chief Executive

Well, she doesn't. She actually hates football and it's fans.

Her reaction was totally manufactured to appeal to her Cult.
 
Well, she doesn't. She actually hates football and it's fans.

Her reaction was totally manufactured to appeal to her Cult.

I remember around 2004/2005 ish before we played the bheasts she was milling around the front door of Ibrox chatting to the punters and coming out with “let’s hope we do it today, we really need to win” etc.
She’s an awful character
 
EPL clubs reckon their break even figure is 10000 fans in. Anything below that and It will cost them money.
Wee stompy won’t even let you travel to the airport to get a flight out, no way she’s gonna let several thousand fans into grounds.
 
You can hear the conversation the fat Japanese had with his spunk bucket.

Clearly finances are critical and fans are required to help keep the clubs afloat but I can’t help but think that the real driver here is for fans to get back to help ra poops and hinder our progress in a less stressful environment.

as much as I want back to Ibrox I’m happy to stay away this season until we secure the title at least.
 
Not sure who I hate most - Doncaster/Liewell/SPFL or the Nationalistic rabble in Holyrood.

After little thought, I can confirm it’s Nippy, Fatty Blackford, Hamza Useless (confirmed racist) and the rest of that traitorous mob.
Come on pal - that lot is the equivalent of the devil’s disciples - that all destroy the fabric of everything we love
 
I remember around 2004/2005 ish before we played the bheasts she was milling around the front door of Ibrox chatting to the punters and coming out with “let’s hope we do it today, we really need to win” etc.
She’s an awful character
She's Shipman's sister as far as I'm concerned.
 
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The NHS track and trace is a pile of shit. The app only works on phones from the last 5 years.

Having had a phone stolen and with insurance only covering the first £500 of a £1200 phone, I cannot use it on the iPhone 6 I am currently using til due an upgrade. Many will be in the same boat.

Track and trace needs to be more viable than at present.
 
“If the First Minister refuses to allow football fans all over Scotland to watch their beloved teams in carefully-regulated, limited numbers, complete with track and trace, she will have to explain to them the clinical difference between Scottish fans and English fans.

She’ll have to explain?
Pass the buck again ya tadger
 
Look Hen
If you let us back we will play floor o’ Scotland before every kick off, have highland dancin at hauf time and free propaganda advertising at ever ground.
Ps
I prefer men yae recommend his barber tae me. :)
 
The wee diddy clubs will be desperate for this. If the dear leader follows England (she won’t) then they’ll be to get back to their average attendance immediately.

Not going to do much for the teams that actually draw a decent crowd though.
 
Any amount of fans at Ibrox would be a massive boost to the players.

Meanwhile, over at the chamber of secrets they'd get nothing but grief off the hordes.

The tramps are running out of money.
 
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