Scottish football must tackle minority of fans dragging game into gutter | Ewan Murray

The response of sport’s authorities to disorder has been feeble because the clubs are being allowed to call the shotsThere is periodic chatter over whether alcohol should be sold on concourses at Scottish football grounds. In public, clubs want to be seen to treat customers as adults. In private, they see the commercial benefit of flogging pints with pies. Punters noisily bemoan treatment as second-class citizens – you can have a beer while watching Scottish rugby – when in reality too many of them act in a manner befitting that status. When Ross County claimed a Livingston supporter spat in the face of their assistant manager at the conclusion to Thursday night’s playoff tie, the damning indictment was this became instantly believable. Scotland’s national sport has a serious behavioural issue, one which threatened to spiral long ago as authorities turned blind eyes. Adding alcohol to the mix would be absurd.Jack MacKenzie has been deemed fit to play in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final as his Aberdeen team look to deny Celtic a domestic treble. Concern around MacKenzie had nothing to do with a hamstring or groin injury. Instead, the young defender was hit in the face by part of a seat after Dundee United fans invaded the Tannadice pitch last Sunday. United had reached the giddy heights of fourth in the Premiership. Pitch invasions have become normalised in Scotland at all levels, further evidenced by Partick Thistle’s contingent at Ayr United during another playoff game. Celebratory in essence, perhaps, but routinely with an aggressive undertone. Continue reading...

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