NEIL DONCASTER has warned the Premiership could be faced with 'further disruption' to the fixture list after clubs voted to bring forward the winter break amid the latest round of Covid restrictions to hit the game.

The SPFL confirmed on Wednesday night that two rounds of matches scheduled for the coming days have been postponed and pencilled in to take place on January 17/18 and February 1/2 respectively in an attempt to alleviate the impact of new Holyrood legislation.

A full card will take place on Boxing Day, while clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two will operate as normal following the rules laid out by the First Minister this week that will restrict crowd capacities to 500 - for a minimum period of three weeks - from this Sunday.

The new-look fixture list will see Rangers head to Pittodrie on January 18, while the second Old Firm clash of the campaign will be played on February 2, the day after Hibernian host Hearts in the Edinburgh derby.

All three of those ties will be screened live on Sky Sports and SPFL chief executive Doncaster knows the calendar could become tight as clubs aim to give supporters every possible chance of being able to take their seats for the second half of the campaign.

Doncaster said: “We have had intense and positive discussions with all cinch SPFL clubs over the past 24 hours, since the announcement by the Scottish Government of a three-week period of restrictions on fans attending matches.

“We have advised our clubs that any postponements increase the risk of further disruption to an already highly congested fixture calendar.

“There are mixed views amongst cinch Premiership clubs about what to do for the best.

“However, a majority favour the postponement of fixtures to give a chance for games scheduled to be played over the festive period to be played in front of fans, once the three-week period of restrictions comes to an end.

“The SPFL Board has agreed to postpone the 29 December and New Year cinch Premiership fixture cards.

“cinch Championship, League 1 and League 2 clubs voted to continue playing through the Government restrictions and we look forward to their festive fixtures over the next fortnight.

“We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Sky Sports and Police Scotland for their flexibility in accommodating these changes and to all cinch SPFL clubs for their clear, positive and constructive feedback as we work together to get through the challenges posed by Covid-19.”