Is this the armageddon for Scottish football?

How likely is the possibility that this new SPFL football season could be over by the end of September or sooner?

That’s not by virtue of a runaway lead for any one team, but instead destroyed by an inability to effectively manage the COVID-19 risks in Scottish football and the SPFL.

It’s only a week or so since Rangers, Hibernian and Motherwell were advised by the SFA to buck up their ideas when testing failures came into light.

As the Daily Record reports, Rangers were asked by the SFA to explain why nine of their top-team squad featured in a “B team” clash against Dundee United without medical clearance:

"Rangers described the incident as a ‘misunderstanding of protocol’The SFA accepted the explanation. A source said: “Yes, Rangers should have been well aware of the rules but in the circumstances it does seem as if there was some confusion.”"

It doesn’t need much hindsight to think that was a lucky let off for the Ibrox side. Now it looks an example of downplaying the importance of the rules set in place.

And then we have the shambles at Aberdeen. Two positive tests. To be fair, that can happen. The testing regime is there to identify when it does and manage the necessary isolation. They could have caught the virus innocently from family or other contacts. That’s going to be an ongoing risk.

But the fact around eight of the players went out socialising in a pub is ridiculous – whether it’s stupidity, ignorance or whatever reason they might have. The Aberdeen players involved, according to Nicola Sturgeon who knows a thing or two about all this, blatantly disregarded the rules imposed which allow clubs to play football.

The postponement of Aberdeen at St Johnstone is sensible on health grounds and to manage possible contagion. It’s not sensible, practical or sustainable to do this with lots of games over the coming weeks. It’s still very possible further sanctions will follow from the football authorities and a loss of points for Aberdeen is by no means out of the question. And if it doesn’t follow and remains only as a punishment, that could be exploited by some in dire need.

Aberdeen’s visit to Celtic the following weekend has huge question marks over it. The SPFL have announced it will go ahead, but that could change. Whether it does with those players unavailable, is postponed or struck off as a 3-0 home Celtic win remains to be seen.

Where does all this lead though. Does anyone really think these recent events and breaches showing disregard to testing and rules regarding isolating and operating in a select football bubble are the last we’ll see?  It would need every footballer and club official to adhere rigidly to strict rules about behaviour off the field. In theory that’s doable, in practice it seems very high risk. It’s failed already twice at least.

Naturally clubs will be reminding their players urgently. No one will want to be next.

There is a chance of course that the next such issue has already happened and just not come to the public notice yet. Other players may well have been out over the weekend or later.

Looking ahead, it’s not going to be possible to run a league with constant interruptions like this.

It’s not really a good sporting contest if 3-0 wins for default become a regular feature. Nor if teams turn up with half their first choices unavailable. Imagine if the league ran so close that it was again decided by goal difference, made up of a string of 3-0 results by default!

What could happen if the issues persist? It’s not too unlikely a scenario that we see a league shut down for half or all a season, unable to continue for a while anyway. Whether voluntarily by the football authorities or imposed by the government.

We might see purely cup competitions remaining with scope for added fixture flexibility. Could we see European football continue even if the domestic season cannot? Or just a total blackout in the Scottish game. It is that serious.

It’s likely to be disastrous for most, if not all, Scottish clubs if the league cannot continue. It won’t be allowed to by the Scottish government if it cannot get its act together in each and every club. Proposals of fans back on the terraces fade if we cannot even be sure of getting players on the pitch.

Let’s not even get into what all that means for Celtic and 10-in-a-row. This is potentially much bigger. This could be much more significant than references to an Armageddon when Rangers were liquidated.

The future of Scottish football could rest on whether a player can resist a fly pint after a match or training or not!