The news coming out of Holyrood this afternoon is that the majority of social distancing laws are set to be abolished in Scotland for the first time since the pandemic started; except one, vital thing that affects everyone reading this.
Despite minor restrictions being kept, such as masks indoors – which is but a small inconvenience – the news was, on the whole, good. Yet, Nicola Sturgeon’s fifth point brought about a wild reaction from the majority of Scots – as only 5,000 fans are allowed to outdoor events unless the local council grants permission.
It shows a real lack of backbone from government officials, who have so to speak ‘dangled the carrot’ in front of football fans with the mouth-watering return to Scottish grounds for months, only to back out at the last minute.
And fans were less than impressed, letting rip at those in power for denying them their first return to Celtic Park in over a year.
So a full Celtic Park still looking unlikely anytime soon 🙄
— Daryl (@darylbhoy) August 3, 2021
Theoretically we’re now literally at the stage where if 5000 people happened to all go to big Tesco at the same time there wouldn’t be a problem, but you’d have to get permission from the council to let those same people into Celtic Park or Ibrox.
Wild. https://t.co/MVXxJbaDGR
— Rissy (@Rissy67__) August 3, 2021
Working class football fans treated like muck yet again https://t.co/kaNmgpeUkW
— sam smith (@samsmith1877) August 3, 2021
You only get Covid if you like to go out for a drink at the weekend or you like football. Crazy that 🤯 https://t.co/EhCZVD2Ylb
— Blair Gormal (@BlairGormal) August 3, 2021
However, despite the bad news, some fans saw the glass as half empty with the return of something that most of us haven’t seen in 15 months – including those who got the ballot.
Welcome back away days 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 https://t.co/pu9OtitDtC
— Craig Gillon (@CraigGillon_) August 3, 2021
With away days set to return – albeit to an incredibly small minority – it does offer some hope; but fans not being allowed into Celtic Park at full capacity is ridiculous. When will it change?
