Hopes that football fans attending matches at league grounds such as Elgin’s Borough Briggs will have some time to wait before they are allowed to drink alcohol while watching a game.
That was the message from the Scottish Government this week as calls were being made by new Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy for Scotland to rid itself of the “class mentality” that allows fans to drink at rugby games – but not football.
Murphy – a season ticket holder at Celtic Park – joined calls for a change in the law to allow alcohol to be consumed at Scottish League football grounds, saying: “I think our sport in Scotland is stuck in a kind of class mentality that says if you’re middle-class and want to go to rugby you can drink, but if want to go to football, you can’t drink.
“I don’t see why in moderation men and women who want to go to football can’t have a few drinks – it happens in parts of England and different parts of Europe.”
However, a Scottish Government spokeswoman quickly poured ice on the drinks plan, saying: “Decisions on the matter are informed by Police Scotland – they have previously confirmed it is not at this stage minded to seek a relaxation of the controls on alcohol at football matches.”