Football streaming: 'It's good to see your team play, but not the same'

Queen of the South have not played in front of their home fans in eight months

Scottish football fans have been adapting to a new way of following their teams this season.

With Covid restrictions keeping games behind closed doors, clubs have been offering a streaming service to allow people to follow their favourites.

For Dumfries-based Queen of the South, who play in the Scottish Championship, it has been a voyage of discovery for the club and supporters alike.

So how have they adapted to the online experience?

'You can't beat getting freezing cold at a game'

Fans across the country have traded windy terraces for computer screens this season

Retired civil servant Jayne Pringle from Dumfries hasn't missed many Queen of the South games over the last 30-odd years.

She has watched all the online games - both home and away - so far this campaign.

"Some of the coverage has been awful and some quite good," she said.

"Some of the camera angles leave a lot to be desired. In one game we seemed to see only the middle of the pitch.

"Overall, though, I'd rather watch poor coverage than not be able to see any at all."

Shouting at the opposition is one element Jayne Pringle is missing

However, she does miss the matchday experience.

"I miss the day out, going for a nice lunch, walking to the game, seeing the floodlights, meeting familiar faces, the banter between fans, cheering on the team and, of course, shouting at the opposition," she said.

"Sitting at home you don't get cold or wet and there's no queues for the pie stall, and there's no-one to comment about the game to as I live on my own.

"You can't beat getting freezing cold at a game - it's all part of the experience."

'Baptism of fire'

Finlay Jack has been thrown in at the deep end to help provide live streams for fans

Journalism student and diehard Doonhamer Finlay Jack is part of the four-strong team covering games for Queen of the South.

He said it had been a "baptism of fire", but he was loving the experience.

"I could talk about Queens for weeks so it is almost like a dream," he said.

There have been some teething troubles but the feedback on the service has been "overwhelmingly positive".

In an empty stadium, however, there is another risk element.

"You can hear everything the players say - which has its pros and cons," he admitted. "You hear some foul language now and again."

'This is absolutely stunning'

Streaming matches have allowed Jim Hall to see more games than he normally would

Jim Hall, a senior conductor with West Midlands Trains, is part of the Shrewsbury branch of Queen of the South supporters.

He was brought up a Manchester United fan but fell in love with the name of the Dumfries club.

"For me this is absolutely stunning because I work two out of three Saturdays," he said.

"I can finish at midday or one o'clock but I can't get from Shrewsbury to Dumfries in two to three hours.

"So for me on a personal level - as much as I'd rather be there obviously - it is stunning."

Some fans have resorted to buying in their half-time pie

His girlfriend even got in scotch pies to accompany the match experience against Raith Rovers recently.

However, he does miss his lengthy trips for "a great day out ruined by 90 minutes of football".

"If you just went for the football, you probably wouldn't go as much," he said.

"But we make a full experience of it."

'Better than nothing'

Louise Currie said going to matches was as much about company as watching the game

Retired midwife Louise Currie, originally from Lockerbie, but now living in Dumfries, said she was a "glory hunter" - starting to follow Queens after they won the Second Division title in 2002.

She said the streaming matches were "better than nothing".

"It has been quite good to be able to see your team play but it is not the same is it?" she said.

"It has frozen once or twice but it tends to resolve pretty quickly, I have been impressed with that."

She misses being part of a group - involving Jayne Pringle - who are regulars at matches.

"We go for the lunch before the home games in the arena and we stand in the terracing and we chat all the way through the game," she said.

She said it was as much about "company and the day out" as it was about football.

'A win is a bonus'

For Mark Carruthers a match is a time to catch up with family

Retired policeman Mark Carruthers started going to Queens games when he was growing up in Lockerbie and now lives a stone's throw from Palmerston Park.

He bought a season ticket for the first time this year as it "seemed to be the right thing to do" and has enjoyed the online offering

"The coverage has been good, as good as you could really expect in the circumstances," he said.

However, he misses meeting friends at the pub and spending time with his parents, who also go to games.

He added that the social aspect was very important because, with Queen of the South, "a win is a bonus".

There have been some suggestions recently that fans could return to matches in parts of Scotland which have lower level restrictions in place.

In Dumfries, though, and many other places, streaming will be the only game in town for some time yet.