Calling season was right thing to do, says Lewis

Joe Lewis has some sympathy for Hearts – but saw no other way for them to be spared relegation.

The Aberdeen skipper was on board with the decision to end the season, which will see the Jambos drop down to the second tier unless league reconstruction is resurrected.

Potential legal action has been mooted from Tynecastle should they indeed be forced to go down, given mathematically they could have still escaped.

However, it is a situation mirrored in the Championship and League 1, where Partick Thistle and Stranraer were also demoted despite having the requisite games remaining to get off the bottom.

Hearts chairman Ann Budge is heading up the SPFL’s reconstruction group, which as yet has not put a proposal forward to how they could see the league’s structured for next season.

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack came out 10 days ago and stated Premiership clubs were not in favour of expanding the top flight.

Lewis said the punishment is harsh on Hearts but there appeared to be no possible way the remaining games could be completed.

He said: “Hearts would have felt they would have got out of the situation they were in.

“Unfortunately for them, they were bottom of the league when it was called and when it was called on an average points-per-game ratio up to this point they had been the worst team in the league.

“I can’t really see any other way to call it.

“There seemed no way to finish the games this season and I didn’t see any other way.

“It is tough on them because they have had a difficult season but they would have felt like they were picking up.

“When it came down to it they had the fewest points per game than anyone else and it is the only way you can do it.

“Each team has nearly played each other three times and there were only a couple of games left and they were bottom of the table.

“It was harsh on them but I can’t see any other way around it.”

Lewis said he would not be in favour of any reconstruction or expansion to the top flight.

Joe Lewis: Couldn’t see any other way to end the season.