CHRIS SUTTON has hit back at John Swinney after Scotland's deputy first minister urged football fans to not attend tonight's matches.

Restrictions being reimposed for large events means just 500 fans will be able to attend games after Boxing Day, but supporters have been urged to stay away from grounds before that date.

St Mirren are due to take on Celtic on Wednesday evening, while Hibernian face Aberdeen and St Johnstone take on Ross County in the final games allowed to operate at full capacity until at least the middle of January.

Responding to Swinney's advice, Sutton took to Twitter and said: "Get everyone crowding inside other people’s houses to watch the games or in the pubs or in shopping centres John but not outside."

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Wednesday morning, Mr Swinney said: “Our guidance to people is basically to restrict their social interaction – to stay at home more than they would do so.

“I would encourage people to do exactly that.

“There are clearly dangers of people travelling to football matches, because they’re going to be going on to multiple forms of transport, they will be car-sharing, they may well be using supporters’ buses and all the rest of it.

“These are opportunities for the virus to spread and we know that the Omicron variant spreads much more aggressively than is the case (with other variants).

“If people want to protect their community then I would encourage them to follow the guidance that we have set, which is to stay at home and restrict their social interaction.”

Mr Swinney had said on Tuesday he regrets curbs on large events had not been brought in earlier, adding that the Premier Sports Cup final on Sunday between Celtic and Hibernian at Hampden could have been a “super-spreader” event – although the level of transmission between fans is not yet clear.