The SPFL have laid out their reasons for handing St Johnstone a THIRD trip to Premiership relegation rivals, Kilmarnock.
Perth fans have reacted with anger to the news they’ll be heading to Rugby Park again, when a home clash with Killie would have made it two at each ground over the course of this season, as will now be the case with both Dundee United and Ross County.
Not only are there just two points between Saints and Derek McInnes’s men, the difference between the latter’s home and away form is the starkest in the top flight.
Incredibly disappointed to see Saints sent to Rugby Park a third time when there was the potential to avoid it. Integrity key to making a split work and reversing such a key fixture calls it into question. United get a third trip to Motherwell.
— St Johnstone 1884 (@stjohnstone1884) April 25, 2023
In a Q&A explainer following the post-split fixtures announcement, the League have pointed out that their first priority is “to ensure clubs finish the season having played 19 games at home and 19 away”.
That will indeed now be the case.
Fixtures reversals have been unavoidable since the split was introduced over a decade ago, the SPFL noted.
This year there have been five.
Aberdeen travelling to Celtic Park for a third time and Saints heading back to the Ayrshire plastic are arguably the most controversial ones.
The SPFL’s chief operating officer, Calum Beattie, said: “We generally aim for the fewest switches possible and try to avoid reversing fixtures that have a key impact on the league title, the race for Europe and the battle to avoid relegation, but the reality is that this is not always possible.
“We try to avoid reversing the big city derbies and may also take into account what has happened with the post-split fixtures in previous years.”
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