Hearts to take legal action if relegated early: chief

HEARTS owner Ann Budge has vowed to take legal action should her club be relegated with eight games left.

The Scottish Professional Football League is discussing potential options should there be a lengthy suspension of action.

Hearts are four points adrift at the foot of the Premiership and missed the chance to get off the bottom in a 1-0 defeat by St Mirren before a shutdown was declared on Friday.

When asked if she would take legal action if her club were relegated as it stands, Budge said: “Yes, I would have to, because I fundamentally disagree with it.

“I am not of a view that it’s a reasonable thing to do. Nor could I see who would benefit.

“How does that help anybody in a situation where we are all confronting issues nobody ever imagined we would have to?

“I have already made my position known, but I have tried to put my arguments over to the SPFL board. I know they are in a difficult situation.”

Celtic manager Neil Lennon claims his team should be declared champions if the season is not completed but the Belfast

Telegraph understands that at least one top-flight club will push for the campaign to be declared null and void in that scenario.

“I would love to be able to finish the season but if we can’t then I think we have to be pragmatic,” added Budge. “The rules clearly state that the competition comprises 38 games. So I don’t think it’s as simple as somebody can deem everything to be as it is and take it from there.”

Reasonable action: Ann Budge wants the season completed