Budge vows to fight on as her bid fails

HEARTS owner Ann Budge insists that she will not be silenced after she failed yesterday in her bid to gain election onto the SPFL board at the league’s AGM at Hampden. Budge had put herself forward for election for one of the three available positions for Premiership clubs but failed to gain the necessary eight votes from the 12 clubs to be appointed to the board. Instead, the league opted to maintain a status quo arrangement, with no new members being elected. Budge (pictured), however, has vowed to continue to lobby for change within Scottish football. ‘I’m not overly disappointed because we all need to make a contribution to what is going on — whether you’re on the board or not,’ she said. ‘I will carry on doing that, even though I haven’t been elected. ‘It was my first time and it was interesting to see how the whole process works. I am not concerned and I’m still determined to make a contribution. ‘If you sit on the board, then you clearly have to abide by the rules and regulations that come with that position. ‘But when you’re not on the board and you’re not elected, as I am not, then you can continue to say your piece and contribute without those kind of restraints. ‘I think the important thing is that all of the members take an active interest in how things are done — that is what I really want to promote. ‘Whether you’re on the board or not, what really matters is that we all have the same interests and are pulling in the same direction. We should proactively try to be involved and make our voices heard, which is what I intend to do.’ Ahead of yesterday’s AGM at the national stadium, Budge revealed that she arrived without any genuine expectations or hope of being elected. She insisted, however, that she was happy with the transparency and credibility of the voting process. ‘I had made it clear that I was prepared to stand for election and I felt it was right that I did so,’ she added. ‘I felt that if the other members wanted to embrace change, then now was as good a time as any. But I did not have any expectations of being elected — or even any hope. I stood because I said I would and I’m not totally surprised I wasn’t elected. ‘The voting system is carried out very openly, so it was fine in that respect.’ Budge has, however, been appointed to the football regulatory advisory group. SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: ‘It’s an important group and we are keen to harness Ann’s ideas and enthusiasm.’ Meanwhile, Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson also failed in his bid to gain election, with Alloa’s Mike Mulraney and Raith Rovers’ Eric Drysdale maintaining their positions as the two Championship representatives. Robertson, however, insisted that it was pleasing just for Rangers to be involved in the process again and with a settled board in place at Ibrox.