CALEY Thistle fans fear their plans to descend on Glasgow by train for their side’s League Cup final showdown with Aberdeen could be derailed by an early kick-off.
The earliest service from the Highland capital on Sundays arrives in the city centre at 2.05pm – just 25 minutes before the big match is due to start.
Last night, the chairman of supporters club Caley Jags Together said fans were “bitterly disappointed” by the kick-off time, chosen to suit BBC Scotland TV scheduling.
Davie Balfour also said football fans in the Highlands had started to feel they were “not wanted” as it was the second occasion a kick-off time in the Scottish Communities League Cup tournament had left them disadvantaged.
Sunday’s semi-final against Hearts, which Inverness Caledonian Thistle won 4-2 on penalties, started at 12.15pm at Hibernian’s Easter Road ground in Edinburgh and caused huge transport problems for north supporters.
Mr Balfour said: “We kind of get the impression we are not really wanted. No one is saying that but it is being made clearly obvious by the way we are being treated.
“It’s a pretty poor way to treat your customers.
“We’re bitterly disappointed to see it’s at that time. The earliest the train could get in for us is 2.05pm. There are a couple of trains from Aberdeen that get in before that but there is also one that gets in at 2.11pm.
“Essentially, that’s two sets of rival supporters in a two-and-a-half-mile race to Celtic Park for 2.30pm and I think it’s a public order concern.
“There are going to be a lot of late arrivals to the stadium. The kick-off needs to be 3pm. I know people complain then that, if it goes to penalties, there are problems for people getting home but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
“If one extra train was put on, it would be better than nothing, so if ScotRail could do that it would be superb. That solves the problem. But there also needs to be a lot more proactive work carried out before these type of big announcements are made.”
He said the supporters club was planning to run more than 10 buses to the match, but a mix of train and coach transport would be required.
ScotRail said it was working in partnership with both Caley Thistle and Aberdeen Football Club to examine the possibility of laying on additional trains for fans travelling to and from the final on March 16.
A ScotRail spokeswoman said: “We are considering options for extra services to and from Glasgow for the League Cup final and will keep supporters up-to-date on our plans.”
The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) said the expected demand for tickets meant only Celtic Park or Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow would provide the capacity needed for the showpiece match.
Celtic’s ground was chosen after a “thorough analysis and detailed discussions” with both Glasgow clubs.
An SPFL spokesman said the 2.30pm kick-off had been “driven” by BBC Scotland, which had paid for broadcasting rights for the match.
The early start time for the semi-final on Sunday was also chosen to fit in with coverage of the Scotland v Ireland rugby match at 3pm.
The final is traditionally held at Hampden Park in Glasgow but the national stadium is being transformed for the Commonwealth Games.
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