Health issue forces Petrie to step down as SFA president
● Needs ‘period of recovery away from work’ ● Mulraney takes over on temporary basis
Rod Petrie has temporarily stepped down as president of the Scottish Football Association on health grounds.
A statement released yesterday by the SFA said Petrie requires “a period of recovery away from work” and would be replaced with immediate effect by Mike Mulraney, pictured, the vice-president.
Former Hibs chairman Petrie left Easter Road a year ago this week after Ron Gordon bought the club from Sir Tom Farmer. He had been named SFA president the previous month after serving as vice president for eight years.
Petrie, 64, has been heavily involved in the Joint Response Group set up between the SFA and Scottish Professional Football League in order to deal with the impact of Covid-19 on Scottish football.
“The Scottish FA regrets to announce that the President, Rod Petrie, has temporarily stepped down from his duties with immediate effect on health grounds,” the SFA statement said.
“On the advice of medical staff, Rod will require a period of recovery away from work and Mike Mulraney, the current Vice-president, will assume the role of President in the interim.”
Alloa chairman Mulraney paid tribute to Petrie’s contribution during recent weeks and months as Scottish football sought to cope with the financial implications of the Covid-19 pandemic, describing him as a “pillar of strength”.
Petrie and Mulraney agreed to take a 20 per cent cut in his directors’ remuneration and deferred all future income until normal business had resumed with national team manager Steve Clarke and SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell also taking a ten per cent cut in salary.
“On behalf of the Scottish FA board, our people and Scottish football as a whole, i would like to wish Rod a speedy recovery,” said Mulraney.
“Rod has been a pillar of strength to the association throughout this Covid-19 pandemic and to me as Vice-president. It is now our turn to support Rod through his recovery.
“We look forward to seeing him back to full health soon but in the meantime I will work closely with our Chief Executive.
“Ian Maxwell, to continue to steer Scottish football through the uncertainty caused by Covid-19.
“I would ask that everyone respects Rod’s request for privacy during his recovery.”
Petrie was elected president in June last year after running for the position unopposed.
His most recent media appearance was in May when he held a video conference call with reporters to provide an update on the situation for Scottish clubs and the national team.
“Our ambition and objective is to ensure that we can get all clubs through the pandemic,” he said.
He had earlier announced advanced payments totalling £1.5m to be advanced to clubs to help cope during the shutdown.
He also described the numerous rows that had developed over the decision by SPFL clubs to curtail the season as “unedifying”.