Doncaster explains split fixtures
General Sport - Leaders Sport Summit 2012 - Stamford Bridge - 11/10/12 (From left to right) Karen Espelund, Executive Committee Member of UEFA, Neil Doncaster, chief Executive Officer of the Scottish Premier league and Heather Rabbatts, Non-Executive Director of The FA during a talk called "Governance: Are you serious?" Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Paul Childs Livepic
Neil Doncaster has revealed that the SPFL were still taking fixture requests from clubs on Wednesday afternoon.
It wasn’t until 4pm on Wednesday- three days after the final fixture- that the final batch of fixtures were released.
Supporters of every top flight club have expressed concerns about the schedule but the biggest complaint was the delay in announcing the matches.
Long distance fans had just over a week to arrange travel and accommodation despite the identity of the top six clubs being known for three weeks.
After days of lobbying Hearts have been left with just 18 home fixtures while Kilmarnock and the Edinburgh side both have to go to Ibrox for a third time this season.
Speaking to The Sun Doncaster explained: “Even as late as Wednesday afternoon things were changing to meet everyone’s different demands.
“Clearly people want the fixtures as quickly as possible and that is what we want too but these things do take time because there are so many moving parts and so many people to deal with.
“If you have extra games to give or extra games that you have to take away from clubs, those tend to be focussed around the middle part of the league.
“Those clubs competing in Europe or who are competing to avoid relegation are the ones who are less affected when it comes to lost games or games gained.
“It is about trying to reconcile all the competing interests that exist and clearly some of them are public security interests.
“There are always going to be inequalities and we have seen Hearts lose a home game but the objective is to minimise those inequalities as best we can.
“It is important to recognise why we have the split. As much as it creates tight finishes at the top and bottom, the primary reason is to accommodate an appropriate number of games within a 12-team league.”
If Celtic had been given a home match against Aberdeen or Sevco in the first post split fixture it could have been a league clincher- instead they have been sent to play Hibs at Easter Road.
If the hoops fail to beat Hibs and Sevco win at home to Hearts the Glasgow derby on April 29 could become the title clincher.