Neil Doncaster delivers Premiership update and predicts Hampden's key role in getting fans back

Hopeful Neil Doncaster believes Hampden could play a key role in allowing Scottish football supporters to start attending games again.

It comes after Hibs and Hearts ' talks over the use of 67,000-capacity Murrayfield as a ‘bio bubble’ are continuing and the home of rugby could host both sides when football returns on August 1.

That has raised questions over whether the national stadium could follow suit and the SPFL chief has welcomed discussions over using the likes of Murrayfield, Celtic Park and Ibrox to stage games for other teams. 

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "I certainly like the idea of creative thinking to help clubs get fans back into stadiums as soon as they safely can.

"So if there are larger stadia out there that are typically larger than clubs' usual attendances that are going to help with social distancing then that can only be part of a very positive solution.

"Clearly, the amount of distance that we need to ensure between fans, that will continue to be debated as it is being debated throughout the UK and society at the moment.

"But the sooner we can get fans back in stadia the better it is going to be for everyone.

And Doncaster believes the Mount Florida institution is being discussed as a potential option that will allow our national sport to continue moving in the right direction.

(PA)

He added: "Absolutely, potentially yes. We've got a number of really big stadia across Scotland that may be able to be used by clubs if that's what they want to do.

"We don't yet know what the arrangements might be to enable fans back into stadia but it's likely that there's going to be some form of social distancing required at least in the early stages and clearly the bigger stadia that you've got to play with the easier that will be.

"I think there is a huge amount of discussions going on, we've got a number of first-rate stadia in Scotland in addition to Murrayfield and Hampden Park, clearly Ibrox and Celtic Park, they are really big stadia that will certainly enable social distancing to be conducted if that is what needs to be done."