Many fans are outraged by the date of the Old Firm derby, however the way in which it was determined is even more baffling.
The Old Firm derby is one of the most passionate clashes in world football, with Rangers and Celtic having a bitter rivalry. Every single time they meet it is a grand occasion for Scottish football, which makes it all the more outrageous for fans that the fixture list has led to the game being scheduled for New Year’s Eve. As reported by Daily Record, the company that organised the fixtures had admitted their system for doing so was devised on the back of a napkin.
GotSoccer chief Gavin Owen-Thomas spoke about the formation of his company while promoting the firm on their website, and the news has only served to infuriate fans of Rangers and Celtic even more. His comments specifically were that the blueprints for the company were formed “on the back of a restaurant napkin” and “GotSoccer as we know it today was born”.
The company were introduced by the SPFL after they binned Canadian business Optimal Planning Solutions who previously took care of the fixture list. Costa Rica, Honduras, Poland and Wales also benefit from GotSoccer’s system, and earlier this season Owen-Thomas actually commented on Scottish football.
“The world of soccer is full of great rivalries and derbies but only a handful can match the history, passion, excitement and mutual enmity of the Old Firm derby.
“People all over the world have been itching for the SPFL schedule to be released, so they can see when the first Old Firm game will take place. We are really proud and excited that the SPFL used GotSoccer Pro to create it.”
The announcement of the December 31 game, which is set to kick off at 12.15pm, was met with widespread criticism by fans and media alike.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
