Celtic have been refused permission by the Scottish government to use this Sunday's clash with Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership a test event to get fans back into sports stadiums - leaving football supporters furious.

The Hoops had been hopeful of using the league match to bring in around 1,000 fans to check the workings of a supporter return. Though they are expected to continue their off-field work in a bid to eventually get the green light for such testing.

The news comes as rugby fans will be allowed entry into BT Murrayfield this Friday when Edinburgh welcome Glasgow Warriors in the second match of their Pro 14 double header. Football fans have criticised the government for 'double standards' at their refusal to allow them to test their return, while at the same time, agreeing to let rugby punters inside Murrayfield to test their return.

One snapped: "Middle class rugby fans getting priority over working class football fans in Scotland, who’s surprised?" Another moaned: "Okay for Rugby fans but not for Football fans and we all know why that is and it’s nothing to do with health and safety". One supporter blasted: "I don’t care if it’s only 1,000 fans attending.  If football aren’t allowed pilot games before the 14th September, there’s no reason rugby should be. Classism at its finest in Scotland."

Another said: "I hope the rugby fans allowed to attend their game on Friday night have a f***ing terrible time." And one sarcastically added: "I’m absolutely shocked to hear that the Scottish authorities are granting rugby fans privileges that they don’t deem football fans to be worth of. Shocked I tell you..."

Not all supporters held the same opinion, though, with one taking the approach: "It’s a pandemic. We want all sports at all levels to come back safely for spectators. Making infantile “class” points about rugby and football is a distraction. I’m not a rugby fan but good luck to them for Friday. I hope it goes well."

We told recently how fans were hopeful of returning to matches as early as mid-September. And, while that may still be the case, proceedings could potentially be delayed given there have, as yet, have been no trials. An issue which would have been recognised this weekend at Parkhead.

It is not yet known whether the Scots government took Boli Bolingoli's rule break or Aberdeen players' self-isolation blunder into consideration as one of the potential reasons against granting Celtic their test match.

Celts planned to host a ballot for season ticket holders to make it fair how they would choose which supporters would be available and allowed into the ground had they been given the thumbs up.

Meanwhile Bolingoli has not yet returned to training despite his quarantine period coming to an end. Manager Neil Lennon confirmed the issue and revealed he has not yet had a conversation with the player as the internal investigation into his secret Spain trip goes on.