Legal case won’t drag,

Former Dee defender predicts Hearts, Jags’ bid for justice will possibly be fast-tracked in court

Former Dundee defender turned sports lawyer David Winnie has predicted the case that threatens Dundee United’s promotion fate will be fast-tracked.

Premiership new boys United, along with League One winners Raith Rovers and League Two champions Cove Rangers, have been dragged into Scottish football’s legal wrangle against their will.

The trio received letters last week informing them they were now at the centre of the action being taken by

Hearts and Partick Thistle against the SPFL, with the two clubs looking to block promotion across the divisions as part of their bid to avoid relegation or get £10 million in compensation.

The Tannadice men, Raith and Cove issued a joint response, declaring that they would “robustly defend” themselves.

The case, which has been lodged at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, is a clear threat to the proposed Premiership season 2020-21 start date of August 1, with the United players already a week into their training restart.

However, Winnie, who puts the Hearts/Partick chance of success at 50-50, predicts that the matter might not necessarily drag on.

“All parties want a swift resolution to this, so everyone will try to facilitate that

He said: “Generally, in something of this nature, you could be looking at anything up to a year for it to rumble through the courts.

“But given the urgency, given the league is starting, they have asked for it to be expedited so it goes into a timetable with the court where it will be done in a speedy fashion

“All parties will want a swift resolution to this, so everyone will try to facilitate that.

“There might be a situation where they come to a settlement – on the steps of the court as it were – whereby the SPFL reaches a settlement with Hearts and Partick Thistle.

“For that to happen, they would need to get the agreement of the other 40