Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement that football games will be restricted to a capacity of 500 fans has raised serious concerns among clubs in the top two divisions of the SPFL – but after one journalist claimed football with 500 fans there is a “misery” some of the clubs in the lower divisions very quickly took exception.
BBC Scotland’s Tom English is never one that’s regarded as having his finger on the pulse of Scottish football and he quickly reminded everyone why yesterday with his claim the SPFL should “shut football down for a few weeks” before doubling down by insisting “football with 500 fans is a misery.”
While he would later try and save some face by insisting that he meant the Premiership rather than all four tiers of the SPFL, clubs across the country weren’t letting him get away with his comments that easily.
Several SPFL sides, as well as a number from the leagues beneath the top four divisions fired back at English as they reminded him that, despite not getting thousands through the gates, they play a huge role in their community.
For many clubs outside the top two divisions, 500 fans through the gates would be a fantastic number and English’ comments will have given the Irishman a reminder of the passion Scottish fans have even when they don’t follow one of the ‘bigger’ clubs.
Never ones to miss out, some of the non-SPFL sides even saw the opportunity to use English’s comments to promote their own games and try get 500 fans through the gates this weekend.
Here are some of the comments from clubs quick to put Tom English back in his box:
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