Football fans need no excuse to feel like second class citizens but the decision by the SFA to shunt the Scottish Cup Final forward to avoid a clash with the FA Cup Final continues to cause unrestrained fury.
Scant consideration for Celtic or Inverness supporters was the theme of the day. William Masson, Aboyne , said: "It's a disgraceful decision by the SFA to hold the final at 5.30pm. Once again football fans, the lifeblood of the game, are shafted because the broadcasters hold sway. But as I often say, the clubs are the organisations that sign these broadcast deals. Unfortunately the days of Jim McLean taking £1 from a fan over £2 from TV are long gone."
Paul Price, Belfast , said: "The timing of the cup final is the SFA showing their contempt for Celtic. This is going to inconvenience everyone and I'm sure the police aren't too pleased with supporters having two and a half hours more drinking time in Glasgow either." Davy Matson emailed: "I've renamed the SFA the Scottish Farce Association. What on earth has a train strike in England got to do with a Scottish Cup Final? Absolutely nothing, yet there is no consideration for the Inverness fans with the priority to keep the Manchester lot happy. Those who agreed to this should be thrown out of office now, no handshake no pension."
Ian Kennedy, East Kilbride, said: "So the Scottish Cup Final kick-off is changed at the behest of broadcasters. Did those broadcasters go to the English FA and ask them to reinstate their original K.O. time of 5.15pm? Of course not, let's just tell little Scotland what to do. The tail does indeed wag the dog."
Jake Curley, Edinburgh, said: "What a dilemma. Manchester United v Manchester City or Celtic v Inverness? Even though Celtic consider themselves to be the greatest ever team in Scottish football history I’m going plump for Wembley. I know Celtic will run up a big score and will ramp up their kudos even higher. Their fans will celebrate as if they’d beaten Man City."
Jamie Thompson, Clydebank, said: "I can't believe Rangers didn't sell Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos at least two years ago. Both have been underachievers and both have gone missing when the team needed them. It's now a case of good riddance. Beale has to purchase the right quality of players and get rid of rest that are not good enough."
Andrew Lamb, Fraserburgh, said: "Rangers should be trying to sign Johnathan Panzo at Nottingham Forest who is the ideal replacement for Ben Davies. Blackpool's Jerry Yates and Sunderlands Ross Stewart are the two others and they will all command fees but should be within their reach."
Gordon Hendry, Ochiltree, said: "Sadly, Ange Postecoglou and Celtic's influence on referees was apparent once again in the Scottish Youth Cup Final. His presence in the stand was enough to convince the referee to make a disgraceful decision to send young Zak Lovelace off, instead of awarding Rangers a stone-wall penalty in the second half.
"Added to that, there was an obvious earlier foul on a Rangers player in the lead up to a Celtic goal. It is little wonder parents get upset at youth level matches with the standard of refereeing on display."
Steven Morrisson emailed: "Hotline caller Tom Paterson is right about how England would not welcome the Old Firm. But why do we need Rangers to come with us? They are just another team in the pack caught in Celtic’s slipstream. Celtic and their stylish attacking football would be welcomed in England and the sectarian problem would vanish."
Joe Sneddon emailed: "Celtic fans are a strange bunch of supporters. They have a lovely big house, millions in the bank, a trophy cabinet which is bulging and yet they keep looking over the garden fence to have a look at their neighbours. It just goes to show that all the money in the world doesn’t make you happy. We’re always happy at Rangers."
Steve McSherry, Uddingston, said: "If Celtic do indeed win the league against Hearts, I’d like to see Ange playing some kids and reserves against Rangers at Ibrox. That fixture is not important and would give some players some game time."
Stephen Mulhern, Dumbarton, said: "I see Erling Haaland set a new record with his 35th Premier League goal of the season. "The nearest player up here that comes close to his goal scoring exploits is smiling assassin Kyogo but I’m convinced Haaland is a freak of nature and was manufactured in a laboratory instead."
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