HEARTS SET FOR LEGAL ACTION AFTER RECON PLANS BOOTED OUT
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HEARTS are set to go it alone in their legal battle against the SPFL after Ann Budge’s league reconstruction plan was booted out before it had reached the resolution stage. Budge, left, had been hopeful of enough support from other clubs to at least go that far but the SPFL
revealed there wasn’t the appetite for revamp and Scottish football would be sticking with the current 12-10-10-10 structure after yesterday’s indicative vote.
That means the Gorgie club will begin the 2020-21 campaign in the second tier facing a truncated Championship season of just 27 games after October 17 was confirmed as the preferred start date.
But Budge is set to have her day in court after confirming they had set the ball rolling.
The obvious avenue is going after compensation as a result of demotion with potential costs to the SPFL estimated between £3million and £6m should Budge win the day.
And it’s been suggested Hearts could seek an interdict to delay the start of the Premiership season while their case is being heard, which could throw the top flight into chaos.
Budge wouldn’t be drawn on their specific objective but insisted the treatment of her club, along with that of Partick Thistle and Stranraer, couldn’t go unchallenged.
In a statement she said: “Now all other avenues are closed, we are left with no choice but to proceed with a legal challenge.
“The club has tried throughout these last few months to avoid this course of action but we must now do the right thing by our supporters, our employees, our players and our sponsors, all of whom have been unwavering in their commitment and support.
“We can hold our heads high as we acted at all times with integrity, common sense and with the best interests of Scottish football at heart. We stated from the beginning the unjust and unfair treatment of Hearts, Partick Thistle, Stranraer and indeed other clubs can’t be allowed to go unchallenged.
“While many weeks have been wasted in trying to find a solution, we must now formally challenge this outcome. The club can confirm the necessary steps have been taken to begin this legal challenge.”
But they won’t be joined by the Jags, relegated from the Championship. Chief Jacqui Low said they were “entitled to feel rage about this injustice”.
And she added: “Court action is our preferred route. However, the reality is the cost is prohibitive for us and it comes with no guarantee of success.
“To raise an action would cost a six-figure sum, indeed it would mean effectively using the incredible six-figure sum raised by our fans to support the club through this difficult period.
“That is the equivalent of monies to bring three or four new players to the club to get us back on track next season. That has to be our priority. The board will not pursue legal action but reserves the right to do so should circumstances change.”
Despite bracing himself for a legal battle, SPFL chief Neil Doncaster is now tasked with putting together a fixture list.
He said: “Now we have a confirmed structure for next season, the SPFL fixturing team will begin work on the Premiership fixture list, which will start on the weekend of August 1, and the Championship fixture list, which will start on the weekend of October 17.”