The Celtic and Hibs dispute in full as clubs stand their ground before SPFL steps in

p Celtic have been given the green light for a January jaunt in the sun #x2013; despite#xA0;Hibs#xA0;chief a data-content-type=section-topic data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/leeann-dempster target=_blankLeeann#xA0;Dempster/a #xA0;being left fizzing at a forced fixture change. /p pThe#xA0;Parkhead#xA0;side#x2019;s clash with the#xA0;Leith#xA0;men has been put back 48 hours to January 11 with the Hoops now looking to head to a warm-weather training camp./p pFurious#xA0;Dempster#xA0;insisted her club had been railroaded in to the switch however, having initially rejected the request from Celtic./p pThe#xA0;SPFL#xA0;stepped in to handle the negotiations and allowed the fixture to be moved #x2013; as their rulebook states home clubs get to make the call if the game is within a 48 hour window./p pHereapos;s how it all unfolded on Monday night./p h3SPFL reveal fixture change/h3 pThe league body announced rather unexpectedly that the Premiership encounter had been moved from Saturday, January 9 at 3pm to Monday, January 11 at 7.45pm./p pThe unusual date and time plus a mystery over the reason for the switch prompted some raised eyebrows online, given how rare a Monday evening kick off is./p pAlso, there were no stick out indicators in either sideapos;s schedule as to why the change was made./p p/ h3Hibs hit out/h3 img src=https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article23073884.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_18391495.jpg data-portal-copyright=SNS Group/ pEaster Road chief exec#xA0;Dempster#xA0;#x2013; who last week announced her decision to stand down #x2013; ensured the plot thickened as fans speculated over why the fixture was changed./p pAnnouncing that club officials had been left quot;fizzingquot;, she took to social media to hit out at the decision./p pDempster tweeted: #x201C;Apologies to our supporters and our head coach (Jack Ross)./p p/ p#x201C;This was done without my knowledge #x2013; we said no to the original request from Celtic because the request didn#x2019;t work for our club./p p #x201C;We are fizzing about this. The a data-content-type=section-topic data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/scottish-professional-football-league target=_blankSPFL/a #xA0;know I am leaving soon(ish) but they still have my mobile number so a call should have been easy to do, or (sporting director) Graeme#xA0;Mathie#xA0;or even to our chairman (Ron Gordon).#xA0; /p p#x201C;Not good enough. Move to Monday without asking us?#x201D;/p h3Celtic respond/h3 pCeltic then confirmed the reason behind switch and revealed their plans to get out of the country for a training camp #x2013;#xA0;Covid#xA0;permitting #x2013; following the#xA0;Old#xA0;Firm showdown on January 2./p pThere is no winter break this season due to the fixture pile up caused by the#xA0;coronavirus#xA0;crisis but the Hoops were keen to create a window after the hectic run of festive fixtures./p p/ p A a data-content-type=section-topic data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/celtic-fcCeltic/a spokesman said: #x201C;Celtic can confirm that its match against Hibernian scheduled for the New Year has been moved to Monday January 11, with a 7.45pm kick-off. /p p#x201C;The club, through the proper#xA0;SPFL#xA0;process, has made this request with a view to arranging a winter training camp during this particular week, something which has#xA0;proven#xA0;hugely beneficial to the squad in recent seasons.#x201D;/p h3SPFL attempt to explain/h3 img src=https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article13321376.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_10191008.jpg title=Iain Blair data-portal-copyright=SNS Group/ pThe#xA0;SPFL#xA0;then moved to shoot down Dempster#x2019;s gripe though #x2013; and insisted the change is within the rules./p p Director of operations, Iain Blair, said: #x201C;Discussions between Celtic#xA0;FC#xA0;and Hibernian#xA0;FC#xA0;had taken place about the Celtic v a data-content-type=section-topic data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/hibernian-fc target=_blankHibernian/a league match originally scheduled for Saturday January 9. /p p#x201C;Celtic wished to move the fixture from its scheduled time, to another slot that weekend. When the two clubs could not reach agreement, I received a request from Celtic#xA0;FC#xA0;to move their home match against Hibernian#xA0;FC#xA0;to Monday January 1./p p/ p#x201C;I took the request to the#xA0;SPFL#xA0;board, noting that Hibernian#xA0;FC#xA0;objected to the move./p pquot;However, as the proposed date change fell within the same Friday #x2013; Monday fixture slot, and was made by the home club, I informed the#xA0;SPFL#xA0;board that my intention was to agree to the request./p p#x201C;As has been the case for the past 22 years,#xA0;SPFL#xA0;policy, where two clubs do not agree about a fixture change and in the absence of any other relevant factor, is to favour the home club./p p#x201C;Both Celtic#xA0;FC#xA0;and Hibernian#xA0;FC#xA0;were advised of the change more than an hour before the decision was made public, with no adverse comment being received from Hibernian#xA0;FC#xA0;ahead of publication.#x201D;/p