I’VE HAD MY PHIL OF SPFL DITHERING
Ann: Red-tape holding back cash lifeline
Frustrated Ann Budge has claimed sluggish SPFL chiefs are hampering her bid to get money to cash-strapped lower league clubs.
The Hearts owner told how “philanthropists” desperate to plough mi l l ions into saving Scottish football have contacted her. But she says they are being held up by red tape.
Budge is exasperated by the lack of urgency from SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster and his Hampden colleagues in taking up the offer
of financial help after being asked to put it in writing.
The Jambos chief, whose proposal for league reconstruction looks doomed, said: “I’ve taken to the SPFL an amazing philanthropic gesture from some people I know, to help lower division clubs to cope with the challenges confronting them.
“Now I’m being asked, ‘Well can you put it down in writing? Could you tell us exactly what’s on offer?’ It’s a nonsense. It’s not quick enough, they’re not decisive enough.
“I’m offering them money. Not my money but a fund to help people. They’re philanthropists. They know me because of Hearts but that ’s irrelevant in this.
“They want to help Scottish football – and I can’t even get that moving.
“I will, because I don’t have any choice, but I don’t think it should be down to me to say how to fix Scottish football. I don’t think it should be down to me to say, ‘Here’s a pot of money, this is how it should be spent.’
“This is what is frustrating me more than anything, we’re not addressing the right problems here at all.”
But Doncaster last night vowed to speak to anyone interested in handing out money after hearing Budge’ s comments to BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound.
He said: “I am delighted to have heard Ann’s comment on the radio that there are, in fact, no conditions attached to this money.
“I had been under the impression that Ann was going to continue talking to the potential investors but if it is now appropriate for me to talk to them directly, I am very happy to do so.
“Clearly, any income for our game, especially at such a difficult time, is something we would all welcome. I will be speaking again to Ann over the weekend.”
Budge says she has had Scottish football as a whole at heart but will now get selfish in her fight with the league.
She said: “I have to put my Hearts hat on and say from this point forward I am only looking out for Hearts’ best interests.
“I’ve not done that until now but I have no choice. I am fighting for people’s jobs.”