FREE MONEY!
Budge exasperated by SPFL’s failure to seize upon f inancial gift from wealthy benefactors
HEARTS chair Ann Budge has accused the SPFL hierarchy of inertia in the face of a proposed seven-figure gift for the lower leagues.
Budge claims a group of ‘philanthropists’ are prepared to plough money in to aid clubs facing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus crisis but have been stalled by the league’s demand for a written submission.
Last night, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster responded to Budge’s radio criticism by insisting he was now ready to talk directly to the investors.
Already exasperated at the league’s board for leaving her to work in isolation on a doomed reconstruction proposal for next season, Budge (left) insists the reaction has been too slow. She said: ‘I have taken to the SPFL the opportunity for an amazing philanthropic gesture from some of the people I know to help lower-division clubs cope with the challenges.
‘They have told me to put it down in writing and tell them exactly what is on offer.
‘It’s a nonsense. It’s not quick enough, they are not decisive enough.
‘I am offering them money! Not my money. But let’s set up a fund to help people. They are philanthropists. They would like to help Scottish football and I can’t even get that moving.
‘I will put a paper in because I haven’t got any choice. But it should not be down to me to fix the problems of Scottish football.’
Reacting to the broadcast on the BBC’s
Sportsound programme, the SPFL issued a statement from Doncaster. He said: ‘I’ve
had a number of conversations with Ann this week, including one that also involved another club chairman.
‘I am delighted to have heard Ann’s comment 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.’
Driven by a burning sense of injustice at Hearts’ relegation from the Premiership after the season was curtailed after just 30 games, Budge insists she has still not ruled out taking legal action against the league for their decision to demote.
She added: ‘We have two separate QC opinions which we can rely on to move forward.
‘I have said from the beginning I do not want to go down that route. It’s damaging but, if we have to, then very reluctantly I will.
‘I want to find a better solution.’ Initially charged with heading up a task force to oversee a reconstruction proposal earlier this month, her first draft was torpedoed before publication by fellow Premiership clubs. Tomorrow, it’s the Championship sides who are expected to vote her latest plan down.
However, with several clubs in the lower leagues unlikely to be in a position to start a new campaign, she insists a new format will
inevitably be pushed through. She continued: ‘There is a growing realisation that next season is in no way going to be normal.
‘A 14-14-14 definitely won’t happen. It’s becoming increasingly clear that a number of clubs won’t be able to play next season, either through choice or necessity.
‘We need to start the dialogue, I just feel we have been treading water for weeks. Let’s talk. Find out the issues in each division and address them.’
Premiership clubs have been given the green light to start pre-season training on June 11, ahead of a hoped-for start to the new campaign behind closed doors on August 1.
The fate of the Championship is unclear, leaving Hearts in limbo.
Denying accusations of selfinterest, Budge admits her drive for reconstruction may have been precipitated by her club’s plight but that she is also motivated by a greater good.
‘No, I might not have been fighting so hard if it wasn’t Hearts involved but I would have been voting for change,’ she insisted. ‘I wouldn’t have been standing back and saying: “We don’t agree, but it’s not really my problem”.
‘Some of the biggest tragedies in history have happened because of that attitude. So no, if it was another club I would not be the one with my head above the parapet. But they would have my support.
‘Of course people are going to say: “She is only interested because it is Hearts”.
‘Well I’m not. I’m interested because I and many others can see a tsunami coming towards us.
‘I wrote to the SPFL on the 15th of March and said we need to look at this so that clubs do not suffer. That was before the resolution was even put out.
‘What I got back was a letter that said if you would like to do all the work and tell us which articles and rules need changed then we will look at it.
‘That is not what I expect from the governing body. I expect them to be taking more leadership. I should not be the one trying to come up with a solution.’
Budge insists Hearts will be in a position to play matches behind closed doors and with a testing programme whenever they are permitted to restart.
Equally, she understands that several of her prospective Championship rivals are unable to proceed with the same confidence.
‘Certain clubs can’t play behind closed doors,’ she continued. ‘Others just don’t want to for business reasons.
‘These things are real. Everybody knows we have to make a change.
‘Let’s make a change proactively rather than sit back and wait for clubs to get into difficulty and then say: “Oh, we are going to have to do something about this”.
‘It’s a nonsense. The key to me is that everybody needs to understand how bad things could be so that we can have sensible change.
‘Clearly there is a lot more pressure on the Premiership clubs to get back playing as quickly as possible but what about the rest of the clubs?
‘If we are in the Championship, we need to know when we are going to play.’
If Hearts do end up commencing the new campaign in the second tier, possibly on a reduced schedule, Budge admits there will be a human cost. She added: ‘I have said before that we would lose somewhere between £3million and £4m of income.
‘But if we can’t play until January or later because we are in the Championship, then we will lose considerably more.
‘So as far as possible I want Hearts to be in a position to be able to play as much football as we can. I know we can do it.
‘If we are in the Championship, we will not be allowed to do it. And that is a major problem.
‘That’s what this is all about. If we are in the Championship I have no choice — it’s going to cost people’s jobs.
‘I read this morning that she should just shut up and accept it. I’m sorry, but that is just not possible for me because this is wrong.
‘That’s what I’m fighting for. Not the glory of being in the Premiership.’
Let’s talk. Find out the issues in each division and address them