Saturday night football plan stuns Scottish fans

Neil Doncaster has let the TV companies call the shots. Picture: Ian Rutherford

After the success of last season, matches will continue to be held on Friday nights but the new plans have angered fans, some of whom have already made travel plans ahead of the season’s opening fixtures.

Speaking to The Scottish Sun newspaper, Kevin Graham of the Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters’ Clubs claimed that fans could lose money, saying: “Our supporters travel from all over Britain and Ireland and have already made plans to come to the first match.

“They’ve booked ferries and hotels - now this has been announced with three weeks’ notice.

“We will be looking to talk to the new league about this.”

This is the first season that BT Sport will be televising Scottish games and along with Sky and BBC Alba, they have given their support to the Saturday tea-time slot - which is already used for some English Premier League games.

Hampden chiefs are reportedly interested in exploring new avenues and ideas and police have given the Saturday evening games plan the go-ahead.

With Kilmarnock set to travel to Motherwell on the evening of Saturday August 31st for a 5.30pm kick-off, Rugby Park supporters chief Sandy Armour told The Sun: “I’m not keen on a Saturday night kick-off.

“Motherwell is only an hour away, but you don’t want to be travelling long distances at that time on a Saturday.”

Partick Thistle will kick-off their top-flight campaign with a Friday night game against Dundee United at Firhill, and Rangers’ clash with Airdrie has been switched to a 7.45pm kick-off on Friday August 23rd.

Lunchtime kick-off times have also been retained, with the first Edinburgh Derby on Sunday 11th August and Celtic’s match away to Aberdeen on Saturday August 17th both given early afternoon start times.