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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Gabriel McKay

Hibs and St Johnstone fans receive Scottish Cup final boost from Jason Leitch as supporter return date set

Nicola Sturgeon has thrown open the gates to football as she gave her backing to fans at the Scottish Cup Final.

With cases and deaths falling across the country, the whole nation will be moved into level two restrictions from Monday May 17.

That means that up to 500 people can be in a stadium without having to ask for permission from the authorities.

However, organisers can ask for special permission to allow more supporters in.

While it will come too late for the end of the Premiership season, it will allow fans in for the play-off finals.

(Daily Record)

And should the Scottish Cup final be moved from Hampden, a higher number of fans could be allowed in for that match.

Aberdeen have offered to host the game between Hibs and St Johnstone.

Hampden will not be opened up for the game as it's been handed over to UEFA to prepare for Euro 2020.

National clinical director Jason Leitch confirmed: "The cup final is relatively straightforward.

"The cup final cannot be at Hampden for operational reasons that the SFA and UEFA are doing.

"If the SFA decide to move the cup final that's a matter for them, not for us.

"We have said, 'these are the numbers you can have in stadia at each of the levels'.

"We're now moving to level two on Monday and level one, hopefully on June 7.

"That number is a minimum, if the SFA want to apply for more they apply to the local authority of wherever they choose to hold the game.

"If it's still too high it comes to the Scottish Government and we would decide, with the mitigations and everything else in place, whether that crowd was allowed.

"But if they move it to a stadium in level two outside Hampden, yes they can have a crowd."

The First Minister had earlier confirmed that all of the country with the exception of Moray would move into level two, automatically meaning up to 500 fans in stadiums.

Sturgeon said: "Let me stress, these are standard limits but events organisers have the ability to make applications to hold bigger events and they will be assessed accordingly."

As revealed by Record Sport permission was denied for test events but in level two that is not needed.

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