The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
SPFL face legal threat as bid for change is thrown out
LEAGUES: Hearts turn to courts as final push for 14-team top flight fails to gain necessary support
The SPFL are facing a legal challenge from Hearts after a last-ditch attempt at league reconstruction failed.
Scotland’s 42 clubs were asked to submit an indicative vote by 10am yesterday morning on whether or not they would support a change to a 14-10-10-10 set-up.
That would have seen the Premiership increase by two clubs, with Hearts avoiding relegation and joining newly-promoted Dundee United as well as Inverness Caley Thistle.
However, when the ballots were counted only 16 teams offered support, falling well short of the 11-1 Premiership backing and 75% total that would have been required for a successful formal vote.
That means the Tangerines and St Johnstone will kick off the new top-flight campaign, scheduled for August 1, in a 12-team division.
The Championship will stay at 10 clubs, as will Leagues One and Two, with Dundee, Dunfermline, Raith Rovers and Arbroath playing only 27 matches, beginning on October 17. The two other divisions have yet to be given start dates.
Hearts owner Ann Budge had proposed that her team, Partick Thistle and Stranraer would be saved from their respective drops, while Kelty Hearts and Brora Rangers would be added to the list of senior clubs.
Now that dream has been dashed and the Tynecastle team moved quickly to confirm that they would be heading to the courts.
In statement, they said: “Now that 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 up high as we have acted at all times with integrity, common sense and with the best interests of Scottish football at heart.
“We have stated from the beginning that the unjust and unfair treatment of Hearts, Partick Thistle, Stranraer and indeed other clubs cannot 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 that the necessary steps have been taken to begin this legal challenge. Given that this is now an active legal matter, the club will be offering no further comment at this time.”
However, another of the relegated sides ruled out the legal option.
Partick’s chairwoman Jacqui Low said: “Court action is our preferred route. However, the reality is that the cost to do so is prohibitive for us and it comes with no guarantee of success.
“To raise an action would cost the club 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.”
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster had earlier confirmed that change was not on its way. He said: “In recent weeks, we’ve been consulting closely with our clubs regarding possible reconstruction and, based on the feedback we received, the board decided to ask all 42 clubs to give their views so that we could have absolute clarity, which we’ve achieved today.
“Whilst a number of clubs were in favour of a new divisional set-up, the support for it was insufficient and we will now move forward with a fixture programme for season 2020/21 based on the current 12-1010-10 structure.
“Due to the restrictions forced upon us by the coronavirus outbreak, the Championship clubs also voted overwhelmingly to play each other three times next season, rather than four, which enables a later start to the Championship league season.
“Now that we have a confirmed structure for next season, the SPFL’s fixturing team will begin work on the Premiership fixture list, which will start on the weekend of 1 August, and the Championship fixture list, which will start on the weekend of 17 October.”
Forfar, meanwhile, revealed they were one of the 16 in the yes camp, confirming: “It was decided to provide a yes vote in the indicative poll to the SPFL on the proposal of a 14-10-10-10 set up for the 2020/21 season.”