Motherwell boss Graham Alexander says it was wrong to force Covid-hit St Mirren to play against Celtic last night, and says football authorities need to take scenarios like that more seriously.
Alexander says the fact the Paisley club didn't want to host a money-spinning Premiership clash shows how serious their situation was, and that the demand on them was harsh.
While the former Scotland international understands that scheduling could be an issue, he's coming from a background of playing "50 games a season for 20 years" in England and says it can be done.
St Mirren earned a terrific point from a 0-0 draw against Ange Postecoglou's men, but Alexander says that's 'irrelevant', as Jim Goodwin had to recall players from loans at lower league clubs to make up his bench.
He said: "I thought they were harshly dealt with, I really do.
"This scenario, through Covid, is very difficult for a manager or a club to control, because we only have the players for a certain amount of time - and the staff. We all have families that then go to work or to school, and so the actual catchment of everyone is quite open, so it is difficult.
"I didn't think they should have played, or been made to play, to be honest.
"I don't know the numbers or the actual individuals, but for a club like St Mirren to not want to play Celtic at home, with the financial gain you can get from that game, shows that it was a serious situation.
"I think getting a point is irrelevant to the actual decision, to be honest. Even if they had won, I still think it's a scenario that needs to be looked at, because I think it's mad.
"Certainly from my time in England, you got punished for fielding a weakened team - if it was your decision to do that - and then when it's not your decision they force you to do it.
"I know it's a different set of people and rules, but sometimes as a club you can't win.
"Those decisions on players playing were probably taken out of Jim Goodwin's control, really, so I think there's got to be an understanding of the situation if there's a Covid outbreak.
"If there are a lot of players or staff missing, surely there has to be some sort of understanding.
"We've got a lot of time to get fixtures in. I see that about not being able to fit fixtures in, and I understand that it can be tight, but I've seen it in England, I've basically played 50 games a season for 20 yeas, and it is possible.
"Players can play two or three games a week. It's not ideal, but they can do it.
"Everyone wants to see genuine competition and to see the best players playing, and the strongest team playing.
"I'm not privy to all the information that everyone had on that, so I'm just speaking from the distance I had on it, but it did seem a little bit harsh."
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