Motherwell fans have been joined by Aberdeen supporters in calls for an end to the alcohol ban. Ahead of their last game against St Mirren in the Premiership, supporters in the John Hunter Stand at Fir Park displayed at ban urging the authorities to make a change. The sale of alcohol has been banned in Scottish football since 1981 after a Scottish Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic ended in a riot, with comparisons also made with rugby where fans are allowed to drink in the stands. Glasgow Warriors played clashed with Edinburgh at Hampden in December but a day prior, Queen’s Park couldn’t sell alcohol in the stadium. Now Aberdeen fans have taken a stand ahead of facing the Steelmen, joining the statement from the Fir Park stands of ‘end the alcohol ban.’ Minister for social care Maree Todd says that at Murrayfield where the Scottish national team play their rugby matches, there is less rush as fans are able to drink in the stadia rather than boozers. First Minister John Swinney isn’t for making changes anytime soon despite fresh pressure put on authorities by the likes of Aberdeen and Motherwell supporters. He said earlier this month: “I understand the aspiration amongst football clubs and some football interests to take forward measures to address the ban on alcohol in football stadiums. I’m not sympathetic to that. I understand where they’re coming from, but I am not sympathetic to that. I think we’ve got a set of arrangements in place just now that work, that are appropriate, that are necessary, and I think we should stick with them.” Charity Alcohol Focus Scotland are also against the move. Chief executive Alison Douglas told STV: “Increasing the availability of alcohol by lifting the ban on alcohol in football stadiums at a time when Scotland has just reported a 15-year high in alcohol deaths and is in the midst of what the Scottish Government itself has described as an alcohol emergency would be a step in the wrong direction.”