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SPL aims to reintroduce alcohol |
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Scottish Premier League clubs are to press for the re-introduction of alcohol sales in football grounds after rules were relaxed for rugby.
Lex Gold, the SPL chairman, told BBC Sport: "What has happened in relation to rugby is unfair. "We believe that there should be a pilot exercise involving our clubs. "We would take it stage by stage, but the approach to say that rugby fans are better behaved than football fans is one that we would challenge." Scotland's top-flight clubs gathered in Dalmahoy to discuss a range of issues and the subject of alcohol was high on the agenda. It follows last month's decision to lift the 25-year ban on alcohol at the national rugby stadium at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. That move was expected to generate £1m per season for the Scottish Rugby Union in beer sales and lead to increased sponsorship from major brewers. And it allowed Scotland to be on a par with other nations during rugby's World Cup in September. The Scottish Executive's new justice minister, Kenny MacAskill, had hinted at the time that it could be possible to one day extend the relaxation to football grounds. However, he stressed that there was a "legacy of difficulties with football in Scotland" in comparison to rugby. Murrayfield opted into the alcohol ban in 1982 following fighting among rival fans during the Celtic-Rangers Scottish Cup final in 1980. What do you think, a very good or disastrous idea? |
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A disaster waiting to happen.....
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Id fookin love it if they done that!!
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Hic!
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Motherwell chairman John Boyle has urged the authorities to lift the "absurd" alcohol ban at football grounds in Scotland.
A ban was introduced after violent clashes during the 1980 Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park in Glasgow. "We need an upgrade. The situation is absolutely ludicrous and football fans are discriminated against," he said. Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith said it was for the authorities and police to decide on the ban. Rugby fans attending matches at Murrayfield in Edinburgh and at Firhill in Glasgow are able to buy alcohol. Boyle said it was time to allow football fans to enjoy alcohol at the game. Describing the current situation as "absurd", he added: "We now have all-seated stadia, facilities are greatly enhanced and we have security measures including CCTV. "Anybody abusing the privilege of buying a drink when they watch their local football team will be apprehended and removed. "You can go to Firhill on a Friday night and watch the Glasgow Warriors rugby team and take a pint of beer to your seat - and enjoy watching your chosen sport. "Twelve hours later when Partick Thistle are playing you're prohibited from doing any such thing." Boyle added: "That's nonsensical. Why should football fans be singled out? The whole thing needs a root and branch review." The SFA said removing the ban was a matter for the authorities, but did concede the issue was worthy of further debate. SFA chief executive Gordon Smith said: "We don't really have a perspective on it as such, because it's really down to the authorities and the police to make a decision on this kind of thing. "It would be up to them whether they'd be comfortable with people drinking at matches. I can understand why some people want it. "The big worry is that football has had a problem before in terms of people misbehaving and sometimes alcohol was given as a reason for that." Smith said he could understand concerns about alcohol fuelling crowd trouble after the violent scenes of the 1980 Scottish Cup Final. "That was a benchmark," he said. "It was a match that I actually played in and I saw the consequences of it. "From that point of view we really need to look at whether there's been a big enough change that football fans could be relied upon to behave." Assistant Chief Constable Kevin Smith, chairperson of the ACPOS policing business area's football sub-committee, said he appreciated the commercial incentives of lifting the ban. "However, Scottish football has been complimented for being a progressively safer environment for spectators and the restriction of alcohol is one of the key components of this successful model," he added. |
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My view on this is no we shouldnt alow drinks in football grounds mainly because to many idiots about that go to football games and under the influence of alcohol would make matters worse.
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I agree. |
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People got to the games steamin anyway so doesnt make a difference |
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There is nothing wrong with selling beer at grounds at all in my opinion.
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Some people dont get in games because they are steaming |
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| SPL aims to reintroduce alcohol |
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