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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Gabriel McKay

Chris Sutton skewers fixture conspiracy theories as Celtic legend pinpoints Rangers' 'endurance' problem

Celtic legend Chris Sutton has dismissed concerns about the way the fixtures for the 2020-21 season have fallen.

Some Rangers supporters have complained that their side go away to Aberdeen on the opening weekend while their city rivals face Hamilton at home.

Steven Gerrard's side are looking to stop 10 In A Row in the upcoming campaign, with the first meeting between the teams not until October.

That has also brought complaints, with the possibility that fans will be allowed into Celtic Park by then.

Rangers legend Ally McCoist made a veiled reference to the  "computer", which drew a withering response from Sutton.

And the Parkhead icon has expanded on that tweet, dismissing any concerns about how the fixtures have fallen.

Speaking on the latest Record Celtic podcast Sutton said:

"Who really cares how the fixtures fall?

"I think there's been far too much made of this.

"I can honestly say, as player I never really looked at the fixtures.

"In the league programme you have to play everybody the same amount of every times - although you have the split as well.

"So people who are coming up with conspiracy theories about a computer and how it falls - who cares? Who actually, really, really cares about that?

"That's the long and the short of it, I really don't get what the big furore is about this.

"Celtic have to play Rangers sometime, if it's in October or if it's in August.

"It is what it is. I don't think fixtures should be put in to suit Celtic and Rangers, and the calendar actually moved because of Celtic or for Rangers.

"That wouldn't be right and fair across the board. The fixtures fall as they fall."

He continued: "There have been some quite high profile people up there who have been commenting on this.

"It's actually laughable, people who have played the game talking about conspiracies over the way the fixtures fall when you have to play everybody anyway. You couldn't actually make that up.

"That tells you the feeling up there and we know what's at stake but it's about 38 games. It's about endurance, consistency and seeing it through and Rangers haven't done that the last couple of seasons after Christmas.

"That's their big issue, not playing Aberdeen and blaming Neil Doncaster for the way the fixtures fall."

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