SPFL: Clubs plan for return of up to 500 fans for play-offs

Dundee, Greenock Morton, Airdrieonians and Brechin City each hope to have up to 500 fans at their SPFL play-off finals with Covid-19 lockdown eased.

Dundee will host Kilmarnock on Thursday in the Premiership decider after beating Raith 3-1 on aggregate.

Morton and Airdrie square up with a place in the Championship at stake.

Brechin will look to preserve their League 2 status against Lowland League Kelty Hearts, who are planning for a return of 250 fans in the second leg.

Dumbarton who meet Edinburgh City in the League 1 play-off, have asked fans to register their interest by Monday evening.

Edinburgh will not welcome fans for the first leg, though. The League 2 runners-up have cited logistical issues around social distancing at Ainslie Park, where they are tenants.

Dundee have already conducted a ballot of season tickets holders and will contact them in due course.

Morton, who must win to avoid relegation, have said they will have 500 home supporters at their second leg against Airdrie on 21 May, with season-ticket holders offered the first opportunity to buy briefs.

Sales are being strictly restricted to one per person, with the Championship club requiring the name and contact details for everyone purchasing a ticket and fans being allocated arrival times for their section of the stadium.

Airdrie, who finished runners-up in League 1, say they are working with appropriate regulatory bodies to allow up to 500 spectators at the first leg on Tuesday, with priority given to season-ticket holders and Club 1924 members.

Brechin, who finished bottom of League 2, say they are aiming for either 500 seated, 250 standing fans, or a mixture of both, for their Pyramid Play-off final against Kelty.

"We would certainly hope to have some fans into the home game on 23 May and we will be working with the authorities to plan that out," chairman Ken Ferguson told BBC Scotland.

With the Scottish government having eased social distancing rules amid the pandemic, the Scottish FA was initially given approval to have 600 fans at the Scottish Cup final between St Johnstone and Hibernian, having applied for a crowd of 2,000 inside the 52,000-capacity Hampden Park.

However, first minister Nicola Sturgeon announced on Friday afternoon that Glasgow would be remaining in Level 3 restrictions for at least another week, which led to the plan for supporters to attend being scrapped.