Furious St Johnstone fans have slammed a group of “reckless” Aberdeen players who broke coronavirus protocols to visit a pub, resulting in Saturday’s match being abandoned.
Two Aberdeen footballers tested positive for Covid-19 and another six were told to self-isolate after the group went out drinking in the Granite City.
Angry Saints supporters joined First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in blaming the eight first-team players for the second game of the season being suspended.
Jamie Beatson, editor of unofficial St Johnstone website WeArePerth, said: “In the current climate public health has to come first, so I can fully understand why the game has been postponed.
“That said, it seems pretty clear that this has come about due to the recklessness and utter disregard for the Covid-19 protocols by a large group of Aberdeen players.
“How the fall out of this is handled will have a major impact on the rest of the season.
“The SPFL now have a tricky balancing act to pull off to avoid unfairness to the teams involved.”
Dan Shek, who runs Fair City Saints supporters club, believes the players showed a disregard for both football fans and the general public.
He told The Courier: “The total disregard from the Aberdeen players is shocking.
“They’ve ignored the guidance and don’t think it applies to them. It’s not just disregard for football fans, it’s disregard for the general public.
“That’s what it looks like. It’s their stupidity that’s got them tested positive.
“There’s strict guidelines that has allowed football back but they’ve thought that doesn’t apply to them and done what they want.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was also “furious” with the actions of the offending players and said the breach was “completely unacceptable”
She said: “When a football club ends up with players infected with Covid – and let’s remember that this is not through bad luck but clear breaches of the rules – we cannot take even a small risk that they then spread the infection to other parts of the country.”
Aberdeen FC chairman Dave Cormack said the club is treating the issue “with the seriousness it deserves”.
