Scottish football manager blasts BBC for ‘fake news’

A SCOTTISH football manager has accused the BBC of “fake news” after it was suggested a fan would be taking his place in the dugout for their next match.

Albion Rovers boss Sandy Clarke said the beeb messed up by suggesting a supporter would be put in charge for their Lowland League clash against Hearts B at the weekend.

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Wee Rovers fan Duncan McKay had initially been “welcomed” as their boss for the game in a statement put out by the club on Friday.

It read: “Everyone at Albion Rovers is delighted to welcome Duncan as boss for this weekend’s Park’s Motor Group Lowland League fixture against Hearts B.”

But the following morning it appeared the experiment was over, as another statement said: “Albion Rovers can confirm that Duncan McKay has been relieved of his duties from the club’s management team for this afternoon’s Park’s Motor Group Lowland League match against Hearts B.”

McKay was offered the chance to take part in the game with Albion Rovers by boss Clark as part of a segment to be filmed for BBC Scotland programme A View From The Terrace.

But it appears there has been serious confusion between what was agreed by Clark and McKay and what was being promoted by the BBC and indeed, the club itself on social media.

Clark insists that McKay joining him in the dugout was NEVER on the cards.

In the end, Wee Rovers won 3-0 Cliftonhill thanks to a first half double from Dom McMahon and a late third from Adam Fernie.

“The BBC totally messed up with some really poor journalism. It was basically fake news, putting stuff on that wasn’t agreed.

“That was the issue. I pulled it right away as soon as I saw how they promoted the situation.

“I genuinely try to help everybody. People in the media, people who do podcasts or students.

“That’s what I was trying to do with this situation, trying to help out what is a comedy programme.

“It is not a programme I watch but I was trying to help them.

“The conditions we put to them were very simple. I said that Duncan could join the management team for a day.

“He would have had access to little bits and pieces, but he wouldn’t have been on the pitch, he wouldn’t have been in the dugout and he certainly wasn’t picking the team or anything like that.

“It’s nothing against the guy Duncan, he was just doing his job. It is him that has suffered the most because I was happy to go along with what we agreed and it had to be done within our conditions, because getting three points was our priority.

“I’m too professional to let anything get in the road of that.

“But the way this all came across and the amount of phone calls I got asking what the heck was going on created a bit of hassle for us on Friday, but it was no hassle on Saturday.

“A person or persons at the BBC messed up and the sad thing is there will be no repercussions. That’s the bit that annoys me.

“Saturday was just a normal day and it went well for us.”

BBC Scotland have been contacted for comment.

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