East Kilbride v Celtic - SC R5 - Sunday 6th Feb - BBC 1

[Sergeant Wilson]

Is it not EK's job to get a venue?

Why does the SFA have to be involved?

Neither club in the tie would have been able to do it without the help of The SFA. It turns out they couldn't have done any worse,

[HibeeJibee]

People seem to be labouring under the misapprehensions that the tie being unable to go ahead at K-Park would see East Kilbride make arrangements before informing Celtic and SFA, and they could take their pick of whatever ground they liked.

As is made clear by the rulebook, plus the SFA press statement last week (regarding EK's own statement about being unhappy), this isn't the case. Indeed, EK's "wishlist" had NDP last.

When a tie cannot go ahead at the drawn ground it is set out that it goes to the "nearest registered ground of at least equivalent capacity which is most suitable".

SFA seem to have rightly identified NDP by proximity, capacity, etc. - but it can't be 'suitable' if 'unavailable'?

[Hammer Jag]

Accies have played a blinder here.

[Compliment Sandwich]

Killie love selling 3/4 of their ground to Celtic fans. Rugby Park is the natural choice.

[YER SISTERS YER MAW]

Hampden has to be the next closest ground that is available.

[Skyline Drifter]

If Airdrionians agree to the pitch bench used then it will go there (15 mi) if they don't it will be Firhill (20 mi). Killie is 25 mi.

Nobody seems to have bothered pointing out yet that Airdrie dont own New Broomfield and are only matchday tennants. I doubt they would get a say.

[Skyline Drifter]

When did Accies arrange all this activity at their ground. Surely it must be recent as they were pronably expecting to be playing in the cup on that weekend until the wee mishap in the last round.

These are Academy and Community events. They will have had them arranged for weeks and given its 3G no concerns if Accies were playing Saturday. If Accies had been playing Sunday they would have been called off or moved. Clearly Accies dont feel like doing so for someone else's game though.

[paul-r-cfc]

Hamilton accies eleven a side pro youth teams play at New Douglas with the older age groups being on Sundays. Fixtures are done well in advance so a quick look at their own fixture list would likely have told the sfa that NDP wasn't available.

Why it's taken Hamilton a week to come out seems to be solely for (admirable) trolling purposes but the SFA have majorly fucked this up. Joke of a body

[The Master]

Of course, if NDP is available on the Saturday then it makes the decision to have Celtic on the Sunday all the more farcical.

Sky picked the Edinburgh derby for Sunday lunchtime, BBC could have then picked Celtic for Saturday lunchtime and Sky left with Sevco v Killie for Sunday afternoon.

Result: NDP would be available (having been kept free in anticipation of Hamilton playing) and Dundee v Celtic could have remained where it was the following Tuesday.

[CM.]

Of course, if NDP is available on the Saturday then it makes the decision to have Celtic on the Sunday all the more farcical.

Sky picked the Edinburgh derby for Sunday lunchtime, BBC could have then picked Celtic for Saturday lunchtime and Sky left with Sevco v Killie for Sunday afternoon.

Result: NDP would be available (having been kept free in anticipation of Hamilton playing) and Dundee v Celtic could have remained where it was the following Tuesday.

You're being a bit too realistic for SFAs liking here.

[Skyline Drifter]

Hamilton accies eleven a side pro youth teams play at New Douglas with the older age groups being on Sundays. Fixtures are done well in advance so a quick look at their own fixture list would likely have told the sfa that NDP wasn't available.

Why it's taken Hamilton a week to come out seems to be solely for (admirable) trolling purposes but the SFA have majorly fucked this up. Joke of a body

That would all also have been true had Accies gotten through and been picked for Sunday. As it would for plenty of other clubs within Club Academy. If they wanted to move or postpone the games they could have. Celtic have called their game against our 17s off twice so far as they were unable to raise a team!

Accies have simply decided they dont want to host it. Which is fine, thats their call. Unless Accies said yes and have then changed their mind then the SFA have screwed up here.

[paul-r-cfc]

That's interesting about Celtic. Obviously off topic so much if you know anything about that I wouldn't mind a pm!

That's the age group I coach and know a few boys in the different set ups

[craigkillie]

It should be a condition of entry to the Scottish Cup that you make your ground available for any neutral or switched ties. This would prevent this sort of scenario - Hamilton are clearly at the capers here, but the SFA should have had it in writing before they announced the venue.

[Crilly]

Accies have simply decided they dont want to host it. Which is fine, thats their call. Unless Accies said yes and have then changed their mind then the SFA have screwed up here.

Yes, that seems to be the case. However, it has also emerged that Accies were becoming increasingly annoyed by East Kilbride's demands/requirements call them what you will. If they had taken the huff, which seems likely, fair enough but common sense dictates that they should have contacted the SFA far sooner to clarify if the SFA still wanted to go ahead or to tell them No. Accies were a bit disingenuous and no doubt hard cash would be at the root of it.

[7-2]

It should be a condition of entry to the Scottish Cup that you make your ground available for any neutral or switched ties. This would prevent this sort of scenario - Hamilton are clearly at the capers here, but the SFA should have had it in writing before they announced the venue.

It should be a condition of entry to the Scottish Cup that if the SFA have approved your ground then you play any home ties there.

[Skyline Drifter]

That's interesting about Celtic. Obviously off topic so much if you know anything about that I wouldn't mind a pm!

That's the age group I coach and know a few boys in the different set ups

I don't think there's any big mystery. One of the scheduled dates was an international weekend and Celtic had lost a few boys to the Scotland u17's or something. Not sure why the other one was off. School holidays or something. The point was Club Academy games aren't set in stone. They can be called off or they can be played at another venue. Every club is required to list a backup venue as part of their entry. We sometimes play games at the 3G pitch at Dumfries High School instead of at Palmerston if the senior side are playing or we have two Club Academy games on at the same time. If Hamilton wanted to move their Academy games, they could.

It should be a condition of entry to the Scottish Cup that you make your ground available for any neutral or switched ties. This would prevent this sort of scenario - Hamilton are clearly at the capers here, but the SFA should have had it in writing before they announced the venue.

Mmm, not sure that's entirely fair. Maybe a condition that they at least give fair consideration to it. At some of the smaller clubs there will be 2 or 3 people without whom it would be very difficult to host a game (groundsman, safety officer, etc). If those people are unavailable due to not thinking there was a game then it's maybe not practical to insist on it in all cases.

Yes, that seems to be the case. However, it has also emerged that Accies were becoming increasingly annoyed by East Kilbride's demands/requirements call them what you will. If they had taken the huff, which seems likely, fair enough but common sense dictates that they should have contacted the SFA far sooner to clarify if the SFA still wanted to go ahead or to tell them No. Accies were a bit disingenuous and no doubt hard cash would be at the root of it.

Such as? Not really sure what relevance EK would actually have in it to be honest. The facilities are what they are. Were they demanding a four course silver served banquet for the players served in the dressing room?

It should be a condition of entry to the Scottish Cup that if the SFA have approved your ground then you play any home ties there.

Then you may as well close entry to anyone outside the SPFL and throw Albion Rovers out too. I don't think that's practical at all.

[Crilly]

Such as? Not really sure what relevance EK would actually have in it to be honest. The facilities are what they are. Were they demanding a four course silver served banquet for the players served in the dressing room?

This emerged through media reports, but there were no details. The possibilities are however endless. Certainly when ICT ground shared at Pittodrie there was a whole host of odd strings attached and "extras" . For example on ICT matchdays at Pittodrie the car park immediately outside the stadium was closed because ICT refused to pay extra for that. Could it be something like advertising? Did EK want to practice on the pitch beforehand? Who knows.

[Hampden Diehard]

I don't like giving them credit, but good on Accies telling them to bolt.

Hopefully we do the same if they try to play it at Fir Park as I don't want Celtic and their scumbag, pseudo political activist animals anywhere near our ground. They've caused enough damage and grief here in the past.

My thoughts exactly re Hampden.

[MattBairn]

Excuse my ignorance but why couldnt EK just have played the tie at home?

Did they WANT to move it for more gate money?

[lonewolfie]

Excuse my ignorance but why couldnt EK just have played the tie at home?

Did they WANT to move it for more gate money?

Taxi for MattBairn?