Ewan Murray wants Celtic to subsidise Scottish football, picking up on an idea from Tom English of BBC Scotland.
Scottish clubs face tough times with uncertainty over when fans will be allowed to return with the three lower divisions due to kick-off in three weeks’ time.
Murray is the Guardian’s golf expert but makes no secret of all things Hearts of Midlothian. After a nightmare season ended in relegation from the SPFL Premiership he took things badly as the board of the SPFL and others were blamed for the multiple failures of Ann Budge and Craig Levein.
Last season Hearts agreed a four year contract for Steven Naismith on a reported £7,500 a week deal, in May the former Everton striker agreed to a 50% wage cut.
The problems being faced by Hearts and other clubs are also being experienced by Celtic on a much bigger scale. Celtic’s wage bill probably exceeds the 10 other SPFL clubs outside of Ibrox with the hoops also taking a big hit with reduced income streams.
Lobbying to get fans back into fixtures in the same way as they can visit pubs and restaurants would be the simplest solution. Open air venues with social distancing and fans that can be easily traced appears to be much safer than dining alongside randoms who only need to provide a phone number to get served.
“And this club who spent £4.5m on a goalkeeper plus tens of thousands a week on a loanee from Brighton… what are they contributing?” ?
— Ewan Murray (@mrewanmurray) September 26, 2020
If Celtic bunged other clubs money they’d be accused of buying influence and trying to bribe their way to Ten In A Row. Every win would be called “tainted” and suspicion of teams lying down to them as a quid pro quo would be widespread. I doubt Ewan would refrain from joining in.
— Scratch The Upsetter ??????????? (@FaustGarbanzo67) September 26, 2020
That’s a stupid tweet
— Schrodinger’s Cat (@trebletrebleye1) September 26, 2020
A club that is well run financially benefits from the fact it’s well run…. maybe if Hearts and Romanov hadn’t stiffed so many companies and clubs they would be in a better position.
— Our Way, Our Nine, Our Time (@ClarkKe01956140) September 26, 2020
What about the fans who demand 50 50 splits at cup finals, what are they contributing?
— Bellshill Tim (@Bellshilltim) September 26, 2020
Your club does alright out of what we do pic.twitter.com/ZTiDgM4CCh
— m???ím??l?fth?nd (@hevalecraig) September 26, 2020
It’s not like Ewan to be small minded, pointless and easily open to complete ridicule
— Brendan Edouard (@benthebass6) September 26, 2020