A lot at stake for Scottish clubs on fan return, says SPFL chief Doncaster
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Aberdeen and Ross County have been given government permission to host up to 300 fans this weekend
There is a "huge amount at stake" for Scottish football as clubs prepare to welcome limited numbers of fans back, says SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.
Aberdeen v Kilmarnock and Ross County v Celtic in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday will host up to 300 fans.
Doncaster says the success of those test events is vital to allow greater numbers of spectators to return.
"We all want the atmosphere fans create back at grounds," he said.
"But clubs need fans back in the stadia in order to survive economically.
"It's a very, very difficult financial balancing act at present and we need to have a route map back to fans in stadia - that's why this weekend is so important."
St Mirren have confirmed, external that their plans to be a third pilot game were provisionally approved, before local lockdown measures in Renfrewshire scuppered them.
Crowds have not been at football grounds since March, although around 700 spectators watched Glasgow Warriors play Edinburgh in the Pro14 at Murrayfield in Scotland's first pilot event last month.
After Saturday's game against Kilmarnock, Aberdeen hope to host 750 people at Pittodrie when they play Motherwell next week.
However, Doncaster told BBC Scotland's Sportsound there is "no firm timeline" to increase numbers and added: "We shouldn't be extrapolating or looking forward too much.
"We should be looking to ensure these two events this weekends are a success, that we are able to report back to government that they've been safely held and there were no concerns. That should give everyone more confidence for future events."