ItsInTheNet
Well-Known Member
Jim Goodwin has claimed the SPFL had to bend their own rules to allow his St Mirren side to face Celtic.
The Buddies boss was forced to recall kids from loan deals and draft in academy youngsters after 11 first team stars were ruled out due to Covid chaos – and pleas to have the game shelved fell on deaf ears.
Goodwin said: “It's been extremely difficult as you'd imagine. We've been here before.
"I'm not surprised as we were forced to play games last year that we didn't really want to.
"It was Groundhog Day all over - very similar to what happened last year.
"We had major dialogue back and forth with the authorities and we were explaining the situation.
"If we only have three or four positives, it's a different situation - but we had 11 positives and were still waiting for two results before the game.
"Thankfully we were able to free up a few of our players who were deemed close contacts on Tuesday.
"We had major dialogue back and forth with the authorities and we were explaining the situation.
"Nobody at St Mirren wants to cancel games willy nilly, but these are extreme circumstances.
"If we only have three or four positives, it's a different situation - but we had 11 positives and were still waiting for two results before the game.
"On Wednesday afternoon we genuinely felt we were going to have to play six or seven under-17 players.
"We asked for the game to be postponed but unfortunately the powers that be wanted the game to go ahead.
"So much so that they have bent loan rules to allow us to bring six under-18 players to bulk the squad.
"They amended the loans to allow us to bring back players from Lowland League clubs.
"They went to great lengths to get the game on. They explored every avenue, even down to those loan rules.
"The SFA and SPFL got together on the Lowland loans, but we weren't allowed to bring league ones back."
The Buddies boss was forced to recall kids from loan deals and draft in academy youngsters after 11 first team stars were ruled out due to Covid chaos – and pleas to have the game shelved fell on deaf ears.
Goodwin said: “It's been extremely difficult as you'd imagine. We've been here before.
"I'm not surprised as we were forced to play games last year that we didn't really want to.
"It was Groundhog Day all over - very similar to what happened last year.
"We had major dialogue back and forth with the authorities and we were explaining the situation.
"If we only have three or four positives, it's a different situation - but we had 11 positives and were still waiting for two results before the game.
"Thankfully we were able to free up a few of our players who were deemed close contacts on Tuesday.
"We had major dialogue back and forth with the authorities and we were explaining the situation.
"Nobody at St Mirren wants to cancel games willy nilly, but these are extreme circumstances.
"If we only have three or four positives, it's a different situation - but we had 11 positives and were still waiting for two results before the game.
"On Wednesday afternoon we genuinely felt we were going to have to play six or seven under-17 players.
"We asked for the game to be postponed but unfortunately the powers that be wanted the game to go ahead.
"So much so that they have bent loan rules to allow us to bring six under-18 players to bulk the squad.
"They amended the loans to allow us to bring back players from Lowland League clubs.
"They went to great lengths to get the game on. They explored every avenue, even down to those loan rules.
"The SFA and SPFL got together on the Lowland loans, but we weren't allowed to bring league ones back."
