Lesmahagow boss Robert Irving: Selfish Premiership stars set back our hopes of our return to football

Lesmahagow Juniors boss Robert Irving thinks “selfish” Aberdeen footballers have afflicted a huge network of the game in Scotland by flouting coronavirus guidelines.
Lesmahagow Juniors manager Robert Irving has hit out at the eight Aberdeen players who risked catching Covid-19 by going out in the city after the 1-0 defeat to Rangers on August 1.Lesmahagow Juniors manager Robert Irving has hit out at the eight Aberdeen players who risked catching Covid-19 by going out in the city after the 1-0 defeat to Rangers on August 1.
Lesmahagow Juniors manager Robert Irving has hit out at the eight Aberdeen players who risked catching Covid-19 by going out in the city after the 1-0 defeat to Rangers on August 1.

Dons stars Jonny Hayes, Michael Devlin, Scott McKenna, Matty Kennedy, Sam Cosgrove, Dylan McGeouch, Craig Bryson and Bruce Anderson apologised for making “a huge error of judgement” in visiting a city bar in the wake of losing 1-0 to Rangers on August 1. Two of the group subsequently tested positive for Covid-19.

In the aftermath, Aberdeen was placed back into a seven-day lockdown with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon “furious” with the players’ conduct. And Sturgeon then issued a "yellow card" warning to Scotland's top flight stars after Celtic player Boli Bolongoli failed to self isolate after returning from Spain before playing in his side's 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock on Sunday. Aberdeen and Celtic subsequently had their next two games postponed.

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“I honestly believe that what happened up in Aberdeen last week sets the football back at our level,” Irving told the Carluke and Lanark Gazette.

“It was quite selfish, actually, because they are out in an open space. Everybody knows who they probably are and they maybe think they’re above government guidelines.

“The way some of the professional players act these days, it wasn’t a great surprise to me, to be honest.

“All I know is that me and Davie Jackson (’Gow assistant manager) have been following the guidelines from day one and we will start back in football when we’re told to start back.

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“I check up on my boys to make sure everything’s fine and I don’t expect anybody to step out of line.

“Everybody’s got to toe the line. You look at pictures of people down in Bournemouth – I think 200,000 folk were on a beach down there – it’s shocking! And then they’re picking on football players because eight of them decided to go for a night out.”

With the new West of Scotland League ’Gow are in not expected to start until mid-October, Irving said he wasn’t overly concerned with his players’ social activities at present.

He added: “I would like to think our players are old enough and sensible enough to follow the guidelines that are there to be followed.

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“I’m the manager of the football club, I’m not a social worker to them – although I feel like it at times.”

Meanwhile, ’Gow have arranged an away friendly against Newton Stewart FC at Blairmount Park on Saturday, September 26 as part of Newton Stewart’s 140th anniversary celebrations.

“How it came about is we went down to St Cuthbert’s (Wanderers) a few times and played a friendly game down there.

“Their manager – I just know him as ‘Carrots’ – is friendly with my assistant manager, Davy Jackson,” Robert added. “He has since moved from St Cuthbert’s to Newton Stewart and he has asked us down for a friendly, which we’ve accepted.”

’Gow pre-season training is due to get under way on Monday, August 24.

Another friendly has been arranged at Upper Annandale on Saturday, October 3.

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