The SFA have postponed Dundee United’s cup tie against Saint Mirren this weekend, after concerns over the number of players currently suffering from the flu.
The flu bug has been sweeping through the Tannadice ranks all week, with at least 8 first team players already contracting the virus.
Dundee United appealed to the SFA to consider postponing the match and they have agreed, moving it back 9 days to give time for the team to recover from the bug.
The match will now take place on Tuesday, 16th January with a 7:45pm kick-off.
The flu has been reported throughout Scotland and Partick Thistle recently had their 1st division league match against St Johnstone postponed because its squad was badly effected by the bug.
Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood recently banned several players from attending training sessions, in the hope of stopping the bug spreading amongst the rest of the Aberdeen players.
Derek Stillie, Garry Kenneth, Greg Cameron, Grant Smith, Craig Conway, David Goodwillie and Margaro Gomis were all reported to be suffering from the flu, with
Mark Kerr being added to the list this morning.
With Christian Kalvenes(knee), Noel Hunt(ankle) and Steven Robb(hamstring/back) already confirmed out through injury, it would have meant that Dundee United would have had at least 11 players out of Sunday’s tie if it had gone ahead.
“One or two of them began feeling unwell on Monday so they may be coming to the end of it,” Levein told the Courier yesterday.
“Goodwillie, Conway and Gomis have only gone down with it today, but we don’t play until Sunday I am not too worried at this stage.”
“Unfortunately the nature of these things is you might feel better, but you don’t appreciate how much it has taken out of your body.”
However, with things getting worse this morning, United felt they had no option than to make a request for the game to be postponed.
“None of the seven who missed training yesterday did any work today. Some of them came in and wanted to train, but the doc has given them antibiotics and we’ve sent them home,” said Levein.
“Some of the boys have had it for three days, some are feeling better and others are starting to get it so it’s a four or five day thing at least. In total we’re 19 players down so I don’t think there was much choice.”
“We spoke to the SFA today and this afternoon they kindly agreed it was almost impossible for us to put a team out on the pitch.”
“I haven’t got it as yet. I’m probably one of the only ones. I’ve never experienced anything quite as bad as this.”
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Half of the city of Dundee seems to have come down with this flu, so postponing the game is a very sensible move – otherwise the ground might have been half full as well as the 1st team squad!