Scottish FA

Chick Young's view

They were gathered like Apaches on the horizon as John Wayne circled the wagons.

But the real cowboys are those who contrived to turn away paying customers.

The folk on the hill outside Almondvale on Sunday were football fans, mainly of the Celtic variety, and the only scalp they wanted was Gretna's - an utter necessity if their team are to retain the championship.

But despite Arizona-wide open spaces in the stands inside the ground the supporters could neither pay at the gate nor purchase tickets.

This represented - I thought at the time - the ultimate insanity when we move a game to a non-SPL ground to help save the life of an SPL club and yet refuse paying customers at the door.

The staff on the turnstiles were taking abuse from frustrated fans and one actually told an attendant that he hoped Gretna would die. But this was neither Gretna's nor Livingston's decision.

As I sipped my post-match shandy I reflected that indeed the game has gone stark raving bonkers.

It is only a matter of time before men in white coats driving a wee green van roll up and whisk Scottish football off to the asylum.

But three nights later came the confirmation that the level of lunacy has increased to the point where we'll need an articulated truck to carry them all off.

Around 1,000 fans missed the first 20 minutes of action at Hampden because the SFA couldn't cope with supporters who had pre-ordered and pre-paid for their tickets.

It was, in the words of several who queued, "a shambles." And that is without the adjectives.

The mayhem in the Scotland defence as Croatia scored the opener was a picnic, apparently, in comparison to the drama that was unfolding in Sommerville Drive where just four windows were trying to accommodate and soothe the ire of paying customers.

Eventually the authorities opened a few turnstiles and allowed the fans to pour in to the west stand.

Supporters, remember, who had ordered and paid for their tickets and chosen their seats in the north stand. It's a disgrace.

Worse than that, an insult to the very people who keep our game alive.

There are people administrating our game who shouldn't be allowed to look after the paper clips. They are inept, incapable... and in charge.

The average football fan has a certain disposable income which is used for leisure time.

Very slowly it will dawn on him or her that there are plenty of other ways to spend the pound in his or her pocket.

Attitudes in Scottish football stink.

People in blazers protecting their own wee world and caring not at all about the big picture.

If the game in this country dies then there can be only one verdict: suicide.

In the meantime there is the salvation of what is happening on the park where George Burley's permanently sunny disposition is somehow catching.

While the rest of us were juggling cynicism and conspiracy theories in the wake of the mass retreat of Rangers players for the Croatia game, Mr Happy just ploughed on.

And he was rewarded with a feisty performance in the 1-1 draw with a team who can play all right.

There was much to applaud about Scotland in the match.

It's just a pity all the fans couldn't bear witness to it.