SPFL chief insists Scots football yobs must feel 'full force of the law' after Sinisalo perpetrator served justice

Daily Record

4 hours ago

Andrew Watt was jailed for eight months and banned from grounds for six-and-a-half years on Friday for launching a Buckfast bottle at Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Simisalo last month
SPFL boss Calum Beattie insists the lengthy banning order for the thug who threw a Buckfast bottle at Celtic's Viljami Sinisalo must be the norm to beat the hooligans wreaking havoc on Scottish football.
Yob Andrew Watt was jailed for eight months and banned from grounds for six-and-a-half years on Friday for launching the bottle at the Celtic goalkeeper in last month's Old Firm draw at Ibrox.
‌
It was just one instance of a growing element of disorder in Scottish grounds last season. Former Aberdeen defender Jack MacKenzie was hospitalised by a seat thrown by one of his own fans as Dundee United fans invaded the Tannadice pitch on the final weekend of the season.
‌
Now Beattie, the SPFL Company Secretary and Director of Operations, has joined SFA chief Ian Maxwell in vowing to crack down on the yobs. Strict liability and deducting clubs points for the behaviour of their fans is an option open to league chiefs but Beattie insists they DON'T want to go down that road yet.
Instead he has called on a united front from all stakeholders - and for the courts to come down heavy on the perpetrators.
Beattie said: 'Some the scenes at the end of the season were wholly unacceptable. The Jack Mackenzie incident was absolutely appalling.
'We believe in individual responsibility first and foremost. That person who threw the chair that hit Jack was identified by the club who passed his details to Police Scotland and he is going through the criminal justice system. We want him to get a lengthy banning order.
'A good example happens on Friday. The individual who threw the bottle at the Old Firm match was jailed for eight months and has received a six-and-a-half year football banning order.
'Thats's how the system should work. If you're going to throw something at a player who is at their work then you deserve to feel the full force of the law.
‌
'I spoke this week at a round table with the cabinet secretary for justice Angela Constance and every stake holder there - us, the SFA, police, Crown Office, fans organisation, the PFA - agreed this issue can't be addressed by one individual organisation. It needs everyone working together.'
Points deductions remains an option for league chiefs - but one they are keen to avoid.
‌
Speaking on BBC Radio Sportsound, Beattie said: 'A points deduction is a possibility under any SPFL complaint that is taken against a club.
'We don't like to run towards points deductions. We want football to be played out on the pitch and for competition integrity we want it to be determined on the pitch.
'That touches on strict liability. Our position on that for many years has been we believe in individual responsibility.
‌
'That does not mean that clubs cannot be sanctioned for issues with their supporters. But they have got to do everything reasonable and practical to address it.
'We know how challenging it is for clubs. These are societal issues. We have seen it across society since covid.
'There's been a lot of talk recently about the rise in violent crime across Scotland.
‌
'You have seen across Europe the issues off the back of the Champions League final which should give us all pause for thought.
'We don't thin it's right to then leave the clubs themselves and say 'if you don't deal with this' you are getting a points deduction.
'We don't think that's proportionate. We need them to do everything they can, work with us to demonstrate that and work as part of the wider criminal justice system so that football isn't left basically picking up the tab for what are really problematic behaviours across society at the minute.'
‌
The Tannadice pitch invasion was mirrored a day later at McDiarmid Park where Dundee fans flooded onto the pitch after escaping relegation.
Beattie added: 'It's an uncomfortable one for clubs. They don't want to be seen not welcoming their support celebrating and achievement at the end of the season. But what about the opponents? If you're standing there watching a full length pitch invasion and you're the losing team you're going to be fearing for your safety.
'It only takes one idiot for there to be a real issue. There's no place for them.
'It's an area of concern for the game. We are concerned something might happen. We have seen issues down south where things have got really close to being a significant incident. All our clubs have to do everything they can to prevent it.
'If you are a safety officer in charge of that match you are faced with a decision, if they are coming on anyway you have to ensure the safety of everyone in the ground and that might mean opening some gates to let people come out.'