The Scottish government has knocked back Celtic’s bid to get 700 fans into Parkhead for weekend’s game against Motherwell as a test event.

SPFL’s Joint Response Group had requested for a limited number of supporters to be allowed to return to the stadium for Sunday’s Scottish Premiership game, but that won’t be happening despite the fact that rugby fans will be at BT Murrayfield this Friday when Glasgow Warriors clash with Edinburgh in the second-leg of a Pro 14 doubleheader.

Celtic will have to play in an empty stadium and the government’s decision hasn’t gone down with former striker Chris Sutton, leading him to react thus on Twitter:

Good to see the rugby test event still getting the go ahead though on Friday… rugby fans obviously a much better bunch https://t.co/DIP8UyfuYc

— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) August 26, 2020

The First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issued the Scottish Premiership a warning after eight Aberdeen players and Celtic full-back Boli Bolingoli broke strict quarantine rules put in place due to the pandemic, with the Belgian secretly travelling to Spain after the game with Kilmarnock.

Celtic league games against St. Mirren and Aberdeen were postponed as a result, and if that played a role in the decision to knock back their bid to have fans back remains to be seen.