John McGinn admits he’s gutted Hibs won’t experience the Hampden roar this weekend with fans being shut out of the Scottish Cup Final.
The former Easter Road star – who has picked up the William Hill Scottish Football Writers’ Association International Player of the Year award – hit out at the ‘ridiculous’ decision to close the doors of the National Stadium despite shopping centres being packed out this week.
McGinn’s brother Paul will line up for Hibs but he won’t get to sample the wall of sound he enjoyed when he lifted the cup with the Leith men in 2016.
SFA originally announced 600 tickets would be made available for the showpiece, despite more than 12,000 being allowed in for the Euro 2020 kick-off against Czech Republic.
But the small amount of briefs were whipped away within 24 hours with Glasgow being held back from lockdown easing after a Covid flare up on the south side of the city.
McGinn is gutted Hampden will be a ghost town and he admitted he can’t get his head around the decisions being taken by the positions of power.
The Aston Villa fans’ favourite said: “For Paul I’m just desperate for him to experience what I experienced. I know it’s going to be slightly different.
"Before the restrictions announcement on Friday there would have been more people in Asda Toryglen that Saturday afternoon thanks to the Scottish Government. It was a ridiculous decision.
“The disappointing thing is gut-wrenching watching the semi-final and the final and there are no fans.
“I hope St Johnstone aren’t celebrating but if they were to win it can you imagine how their fans feel after a double win and there was no-one there to see it.
“It is a complete gutter but it is something we need to deal with.”
