Doncaster and Regan grilled in MSP probe
SCOTTISH politicians have clashed with Neil Doncaster and Stewart Regan before finally agreeing to go back to school.
MSPs had spiky exchanges yesterday as SFA chief Regan and SPFL counterpart Doncaster defended the stance of clubs on issues such as national minimum wage and contracts for young players.
Tory MSP Brian Whittle and the SNP’s James Dornan, in particular, took the Scottish football bosses to task before the public petitions committee accepted an invite to visit the SFA’s academies.
It was the latest stage in a long-running petition on youth football raised by grassroots campaigners that is now in its seventh year, the longest in Holyrood history.
Whittle told Doncaster: “In the responses that have come to me it has not been the welfare of children that have come through. Unless we prod you with a stick, you hardly talk about it. It’s all been about procedure.”
Doncaster hit back: “Your criticism is utterly unfair and shows a fundamental misunderstanding about the good work going on in Scottish football.
“I’m very disappointed someone from a sporting background such as yourself would try and criticise all that good work.” Former middle distance runner Whittle responded: “I didn’t criticise all that good work. I criticised you.”
Regan and Doncaster were grilled on £1-a-week contracts, evidence of which has been reported extensively by Record Sport.
Dornan asked: “Surely a £1-a-week contract from any club trying to con some young boy into signing a contract is bringing Scottish football into disrepute?”
Regan said: “No it’s not. You’re assuming the club has done it deliberately. The club well may be ignorant on the type of contract that it has to use.”
Regan said the footballing authorities had held training events and seminars to address that issue and Doncaster said the SPFL had written to clubs about their obligations.
The committee will visit SFA academy schools and discuss their concerns with coaches, parents and kids.
Convenor Johann Lamont said: “The committee still has concerns about the welfare of children and young people in football.
“The SFA and SPFL are in a privileged position to stop people trading in their own dreams. The committee is keen to ensure that young people in football are not being exploited.”