Gorgie club to pursue legal action as reconstruction fails

CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER

HEARTS yesterday started legal proceedings against the SPFL after plans for league reconstruction were rejected and they were relegated from the Premiership.

The Tynecastle club were four points behind Hamilton at the bottom of the top-flight table with eight games remaining when football was suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak in March.

The SPFL had pledged to examine reconstruction in a controversial resolution on the end of the season that was passed back in April.

But 26 of the 42 senior clubs opposed a change from the 1210-10-10 set-up to a 14-10-1010 league structure – meaning they will play in the Championship in the 2020/21 campaign.

Partick Thistle will also drop down to League One while Stranraer will go in to League Two.

Thistle described the move as “sickening” and branded the SPFL “not fit for purpose” – but revealed the cost of taking the governing body to court would run in to six figures and was “prohibitive”.

But a Hearts statement read: “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.”

Thistle chairman Jacqui Low said: “The board will not pursue legal action at this time but reserves the right to do so should circumstances change.

“With no guarantees, we can’t risk monies in this way if we are serious about getting back to the Championship at the first opportunity.”