Hearts Finishing At Home Was A Mathematical Impossibility
Post-split fixtures controversy examined
There was the predictable ‘controversy’ after the release of the post-split fixtures yesterday by the SPFL. Refreshingly, the complaints didn’t only include teams from Glasgow for a change - as fans of the Edinburgh based league leaders were some of the most vocal. My friend Ewen Cameron of STV radio decided to dress as Bono from U2 to vent his frustration. It certainly caught attention - his 2 minute video filmed from his car amassed over 1.5 million views in less than a day!
The main complaint from Hearts fans like Ewen was that their final home game - and so a potential trophy presentation day - will be away to Celtic in front of less than 1,000 Hearts fans. A preferable solution for the Jambos might have been for their final fixture to instead be a home fixture against Rangers. Of course, this would have meant that Rangers would see their own potential presentation in front of just 500 Rangers fans at Tynecastle. Instead Rangers are away to Falkirk in front of only 700 of their own fans, while Celtic have their final game at Celtic Park in front of nearly 60,000 of their own.
Not everyone can end on a home game of course, but the point Hearts fans have raised is that Hearts are the current league leaders. And they have been for six months. Therefore, their league standing should hold more weight in the determination of fixtures and so Hearts should be ‘rewarded’ with a home game finale.
This would also have followed the precedent set in recent seasons. In 14 of the previous 15 seasons, the team at the top of the league going in to the split was given the final game at home. So surely Hearts simply had to be given their final match at Tynecastle? Right?
Wrong.
SPFL Chief Operating Officer Calum Beattie: “In recent seasons we have been able to have the club at the top of the table entering into the split at home on the final day. However, that has not been possible on this occasion due to the number of competing constraints and the most exciting title race in years making each fixture round very unpredictable.”
