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Aberdeen 'embarrassed' by 'strange car crash' of their own making ahead of Rangers clash
Aberdeen have been left “embarrassed” by the ticketing situation ahead of the Viaplay Cup final with Rangers, after not receiving an equal allocation and then accidentally selling some to Gers supporters, says Alan Rough.
The pundit reacted on PLZ Soccer’s The Football Show on 20 November after host Peter Martin had called the issue a “strange car crash” of the Dons own making, as they were forced to cancel tickets purchased by Light Blues fans during an unpopular general sale which Alan Burrows had to apologise for.
Aberdeen had already been unhappy that the SPFL had opted not to provide an equal split of Hampden Park, a situation which also had opposition among the Ibrox faithful, and journalist Alison McConnell agreed it was “very poorly handled” at Pittodrie.
Martin said (46m 20s): “Aberdeen have cancelled Rangers fans’ tickets cup final tickets. It really was such a strange car crash that Aberdeen created for themselves.”
McConnell replied: “It really was. I think it was very poorly handed, and Alan Burrows came out, apologised, and gave a very lengthy explanation on Twitter, but I think the bottom line is when you’ve ended up with section of your own fans not getting access to tickets and tickets going to rival fans it’s a mess of a situation.
“It should never have been allowed to happen and I don’t think you can have a repeat of a scenario like that.’
Rough added: “I think Aberdeen were a wee bit embarrassed by the stance that they’d made, about it not being 50-50 and then that happening. But they rectified it very quickly which I think was the sensible thing to do.”
Calamity
Having drawn a great deal of attention to the dituation with their complaints over Rangers being allocated more the Dandies only succeeded in making a spectacle of themselves thereafter.
It was a league decision to hand the Light Blues a greater share, and while might have been a valid argument to split it down the middle it still leaves a significant proportion of Ibrox season ticket holders unable to attend the final as it is.
In their apparent eagerness to show that they could sell out their lot to prove the SPFL’s decision-making wrong Aberdeen then put themselves in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, with Burrows having to apologise to fans, close the ticket office and now rescind sales.
Whether that will help their case if a similar case arises in future is perhaps now a doubt, but provided somewhat of a needless side note in the run up to the first cup final of the campaign.
Philippe Clement may have only overseen the last stage of the run to the final but will be looking to put down a marker with a first Rangers trophy win since in over 18-months to mark the revival after Michael Beale’s stuttering start to the season.
In other Rangers news, one of the club’s “marquee” signings has been sent home early after what happened on international duty.