Former Rangers star Ian Murray believes playing behind closed doors might be the best option

Ian Murray played in a deserted San Siro with Rangers 15 years ago.

He is convinced playing behind closed doors is the ‘best worst-case scenario’ for Scottish football to bring the current season to a conclusion amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Murray, now manager of Airdrie, had not long joined the Light Blues from Hibernian when Inter Milan were forced to play their home Champions League group games in front of no supporters because of crowd trouble the previous season.

It made for an eerie atmosphere inside the famous arena as Inter eased to a 1-0 victory in September 2005.

Despite the lack of home backing, the Italian giants won all three closed-door matches to top Group H, before going out of the tournament to Villarreal on away goals in the quarter-finals.

And, if PFA Scotland’s concerns over the health and safety of the players can be allayed, Murray insists that his unusual experience in Milan means he would favour games in empty grounds to some alternatives being mooted for the conclusion to the campaign.

© Craig Foy / SNS Group

Neil Lennon has claimed Celtic should be awarded the Premiership title if the season cannot be completed, but such a scenario would open up a can or worms right through the divisions.

Murray’s current club are sitting third in the League One table, just five points adrift of leaders Raith Rovers, and on course for, at least, a promotion play-off place with eight games still to play

He said: “That game with Rangers against Inter in the San Siro is the only time I’ve ever played behind closed doors in a competitive game.

“The biggest difference is actually in the warm-up, when you come out onto the pitch and there’s no-one there.

“But once the game starts, the dynamics are the same.

“I don’t recall the fact there wasn’t a crowd there playing a significant part in the match.

“I know people will argue that it helps the away team because the home team doesn’t have their supporters there.

“Yes and no. There are pros and cons on both sides of it.

“Players are used to playing in front of small crowds and at training there’s nobody there. So it’s the build-up that’s slightly different in an empty stadium.

“But for the actual game, the 90 minutes, it won’t change a lot of things.

“What you might find is that some clubs might feel they are at a disadvantage because of a lack of fans in their stadium.

“But something has to give. We just can’t expect it to be normal.

“But I’m sure we’ll find a common solution. Managers and players want to play the games, and we want to play in the fairest way possible.”

PFA Scotland chief Fraser Wishart has already told the SPFL that their ‘members should not be asked to put their health and safety at risk by playing games behind closed doors’ given the possibility of the virus being transmitted through contact with opponents.

But Murray added: “The bottom line is we would be prepared to play behind closed doors.

“It’s not ideal for us, it’s not ideal for the supporters and not ideal for the league, but it might be the only way we get this season finished.

“In my opinion, whilst the health and safety of the squad is paramount, it’s probably the best worst-case scenario.

“The best-case scenario is we have a couple of weeks off, we catch up with the games and we get back to normal.

“But who knows how things are going to pan out.

“In a worst-case scenario, we have to play behind closed doors.

“I would have thought that is far more preferable for everybody than finishing the season now and all the ramifications of that.”