The Police Federation are lobbying to switch Celtic’s Betfred Cup semi-final from Hampden to Murrayfield.
Last Thursday the SPFL announced that both semi-finals would be played at Hampden on October 28 which was backed by Police Scotland.
Almost everyone else has been critical of the decision to bring together four sets of supporters in Glasgow city centre with little overlap between the two matches.
Murrayfield was suggested as a possible venue after the semi-finalists became known but later it Neil Doncaster revealed that the SPFL were contractually obliged to play both semi-finals at Hampden.
Hearts have been highly critical of the Hampden decision with Calum Steele of the Police Federation happy to support the Murrayfield option.
“It would definitely be easier,” he replied to that suggestion from the BBC. “The expectation of having to manage four sets of opposing fans in and around Glasgow city centre at an exceptionally busy weekend in its own right is something that is going to be challenging.”
He added: “Even if there was nothing else on that date, the police service is going to be run ragged.
“The most important thing to say is that in advance of the decision being announced, no discussions took place between the service and ourselves. The conversations that will follow will be tough indeed.
“From a police service of over 17,000 officers, having two football matches on the same day is not something that’s beyond our means but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a good idea to make it happen.
“The one word that describes it best is just simply idiotic.”
Despite the complaints about the same venue being used for both matches the SPFL are in talks with the competing clubs about the ticket allocation.
Hearts and Aberdeen are likely to be given half of the South Stand and behind one goal with half of the North Stand held back to see how ticket sales go.
Last season Hibs sold tickets for the North Stand while seats behind the goal lay empty due to segregation while the Celtic allocation was heavily oversubscribed.
