Ross County allowed 300 fans for Livingston clash on Friday

Ross County have been given permission for up to 300 fans to attend their Premiership clash with Livingston in Dingwall on Friday.

The Highlands has been put in tier one in the Scottish Government’s new coronavirus alert system, which allows limited crowds in stadiums.

Staggies chairman Roy MacGregor had been looking for 750 supporters to be allowed into the stadium following a successful test event with 300 fans against Celtic in September.

A Ross County statement said on Wednesday: “Earlier this evening, the Joint Response Group (JRG) informed the club that we had been successful in gaining a second opportunity to welcome fans into our stadium for a home fixture.

“We are delighted that the Scottish Government, SFA and SPFL have shown faith (in) Ross County and our success in our earlier test event to allow us a second.

“Due to the Highlands being a tier one area, we believe this gives everybody encouragement that this test event can follow in the successful footsteps of our pilot test event in September.

“Given the very short timescale we have to organise this, it will be a very difficult challenge but one we will embrace and work very hard to ensure we deliver a safe environment for our 300 fans. All fans will be housed in the East Stand and will follow the same protocols and procedures as the previous test event.

“300 season ticket holders will be selected by ballot to attend the match and will receive (an) email notification from the club that they have been selected.”

An SPFL statement said the JRG will be working with Inverness, Elgin and Highland League teams over the coming weeks on operational plans to ensure the safe return of fans to those clubs as soon as possible.

JRG chairman and Scottish FA president Rod Petrie said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s green light to the return of fans to football stadia after an eight-month hiatus.”

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “All of us in the SPFL have missed the enormous difference which our passionate supporters bring to the game, not to mention the absolutely crucial matchday revenue, and everyone involved will be working flat-out to ensure that the return of fans to the Global Energy Stadium goes smoothly this Friday.”