13:54

Scotland’s first minister and interim chief medical officer have appeared to rule out the resumption of football matches behind closed doors, a move which will increase anxiety at the country’s professional clubs.

The vast majority of the Scottish Professional Football League’s sides – including Celtic and Rangers – have used the government’s job retention scheme or implemented pay cuts or deferrals for players and staff. The 2019-20 campaign for the lower three tiers has already been abandoned and the Premiership is heading for the same outcome upon receipt of Uefa approval.

The SPFL has been anxious to be in position to start its new season on the first weekend in August as per details of a new broadcasting deal with Sky Sports, worth a record £160m, and season tickets for the 2020-21 season are already widely on sale. The Scottish Football Association even hopes to open a new campaign with its cup semi-finals, which would ordinarily attract an aggregate of at least 80,000 spectators.

Both options are now seriously remote, with Nicola Sturgeon also suggesting matches with no spectators would not be viable unless there is a major coronavirus breakthrough.