Football clubs vote against an inquiry into SPFL ballot wrangle.

RESOLUTION: Call for inquiry resulted in defeat by 27 votes to 13

The vote was lost but Rangers’ desire for change at the top of Scottish football lives on.

Yesterday’s ballot of Scottish football clubs on a resolution to hold an independent inquiry into the SPFL’s handling of the controversial season-ending decision resulted in defeat by 27 to 13, with two abstentions.

Dundee, Dundee United and St Johnstone were understood to be among the ‘no’ majority.

The tone of the subsequent reaction from Ibrox was less volatile than some may have expected but the message of refusing to back down remains rock solid.

The Rangers statement said: “A light has been shone on the SPFL’s governance and regardless of the attempts to debunk our report, there is widespread acknowledgment that it highlighted serious issues and failings which remain to be addressed.

“A management culture which not only fears accountability and scrutiny, but which actively campaigns against it, is unhealthy and breeds continued mistrust. This culture, so deeply embedded, must be addressed if Scottish football is to flourish.

“It is clear that many members have lost confidence in the SPFL leadership and the need for change will not diminish.

“The status quo cannot hold.” Whether that means Rangers will now pursue a legal challenge is the next big question.

He is highly unlikely to get his wish but SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan has called for peace to break out in Scottish football.

The Rangers resolution calling for an independent investigation into April’s controversial vote to end the lower league season and set up the probability of the Premiership following suit fell by a significant margin yesterday.

The support of 32 of the league’s 42 clubs was needed for the motion, backed by Hearts and Stranraer, to pass.

The numbers didn’t get close to those required, with 13 supporting it, 27 voting against and two abstaining.

MacLennan, one of the high-profile participants in the acrimonious war of the statements that preceded the vote, is now seeking a line to be drawn in the sand, emboldened by the result.

“The last few weeks have been bruising ones for many people in our game,” he said. “Far too many words have been spoken and written which have sown anger and division amongst clubs. That is a matter of the deepest regret to very many people in our game, myself included.

“I know those who proposed this resolution will be disappointed, but I trust that everyone involved, on both sides of this argument, will now respect the clear, democratic and decisive result we have seen today and allow our game to move forward together.

“The overwhelming majority of clubs voted to oppose this resolution and it’s now incumbent on all clubs to put their differences aside, otherwise we will all suffer together.

“I have taken careful note of the concerns expressed by the minority of clubs which voted in favour and when we are back to playing football in a safe environment, I will bring clubs together to discuss the lessons learned.

“Every single one of us understands that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought huge challenges for our game, which we must overcome soon if we are to save all 42 clubs and restart the sport we all love.

“That is a daunting prospect in its own right – one of the gravest our sport has faced and it’s no exaggeration to say that it threatens the very existence of many of the SPFL’s clubs if we get it wrong.

“If Scottish football is to survive this, we simply must unite and use the enormous talents, resources and creativity at our collective disposal to rescue our game.

“Time is short. In reality, we must do everything humanly possible to get games back up and running by the end of July.

“We simply cannot afford the distraction of further infighting or legal challenges. I’m sure we can all agree that the quicker we get back to playing football, the better.”

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster sent out a similar ‘move on’ message.

In an interview with Sky Sports, he said: “It was a good meeting. There were some good exchanges of views but ultimately the clubs have spoken.

“They’ve given a very clear indication that they did not want to see this independent review that was being

“If Scottish football is to survive this, we simply must unite. MURDOCH MACLENNAN

sought by three clubs. And, in my view, it’s a very clear mandate that the board should put all of our attention to the really important work of getting the game back up in running in Scotland as soon as we can, as safe as we can.

“I’m very pleased with the result and the work starts now.”

The ‘did they, didn’t they’ Dundee saga seems like a long time ago but one of the biggest winners of their casting vote and yesterday’s EGM decision will be Celtic.

It is now just a matter of when, rather than if, the Premiership will be called and the Hoops are awarded the title on points per game, joining Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers as champions of their divisions.

The Glasgow club said: “Celtic Football Club welcomes the decisive vote by SPFL clubs to reject a lawyerled inquiry into the processes relating to the resolution approved last month with support from the vast majority of clubs.

“We are satisfied that there is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the board or executive and do not consider that such an inquiry is necessary.

“We now appeal to all clubs to look to the future in the knowledge that the threats which exist to the fabric of Scottish football are grave and unprecedented. All of our energies should be applied to planning for the return of the game in season 2020-21 and to the financial survival of all our clubs.

“This current crisis is the fault of no individual or organisation and it would be irrational to suggest otherwise.

“It is the duty of everyone committed to the future of our game to make the best of this awful situation, and not the worst.

“We greatly regret the denigration of named individuals who have, on every occasion, acted upon decisions which were made by the board of the SPFL, representing all 42 clubs. The

board and executive of the SPFL have operated under circumstances of unique difficulty in dealing with challenges of an unprecedented nature.

“We recognise the hugely damaging effects that measures to counter the pandemic are inflicting on football clubs of all sizes across Scotland, Europe and beyond. It is the duty of everyone with the interests of football at heart to work for the greater good of securing the future of our sport.”

The resolution found the support of four clubs in the Premiership and one from the Championship, plus eight in the two lower divisions. Another two teams from the combined ranks of Leagues One and Two abstained.

Aberdeen, Partick Thistle and Stenhousemuir had all given the proposal their public backing while Inverness and Falkirk had directed withering attacks at the SPFL leadership in recent times.

Picture: SNS Group. SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster, who, along with legal adviser Rod McKenzie, had been the subject of calls from the Ibrox club to be suspended.

Picture: PA. SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan, who wants to see a line drawn in the sand and a united approach to “getting the game back up and running in Scotland as soon as we can, as safe as we can”.