“The fact that such an important matter was not properly addressed by the SPFL, in advance of the vote, is hugely disappointing,” says Hearts owner Ann Budge
Last Updated: 24 / / 9: PM
Hearts owner Ann Budge says the resolution affair is ‘a major embarrassment’ for Scottish football
Hearts owner Ann Budge has suggested that the SPFL tried to “unduly influence” the outcome of a vote by its members on whether to effectively bring an end to the Scottish domestic season.
The SPFL’s contentious resolution to end the season in three divisions and potentially the Premiership rests on a technicality over the vote of Championship side Dundee, amid a huge fallout between the governing body and Rangers, particularly over the voting process.
- Rangers repeat calls for probe into SPFL vote
- Rangers call for suspension of SPFL chief Doncaster SPFL chairman: Dundee yet to submit vote
Hearts, who are bottom of the Scottish Premiership and would be relegated under the SPFL’s proposal, Which Budge believes could cost them “£ 2.5m- £ 3m in lost income next year”, have confirmed that they voted against the resolution on Friday.
Hearts are bottom of the Scottish Premiership
In a statement on Sunday, Budge said the SPFL insisted that passing their resolution was the only way of releasing much-needed funds to clubs – a position which prompted a response from Rangers
She said:” In my earlier statement, I also indicated that I did not accept the position being argued by the SPFL that the only way to make much-needed funds available to members was to pass this resolution. It is difficult not to argue that linking the vote in this way to releasing funds, was an attempt to unduly influence the outcome of the vote.
“A number of clubs were angered by this approach, and as has been well publicized, Rangers promptly pulled together a Resolution, which if passed, could have seen funds able to be released to clubs immediately. This would have removed any suggestion that a club’s financial situation could be a possible influencer in the vote.
Luke Shanley has more on Rangers’ push for an independent investigation into SPFL processes, and their calls for the suspension of the league’s chief executive Neil Doncaster and the SPFL’s legal adviser Rod McKenzie
“The fact that such an important matter was not properly addressed by the SPFL, in advance of the vote, is hugely disappointing.
“My observations are that if the SPFL genuinely wanted to work with member clubs to find a solution to the matter of releasing funds they could and should have reverted both more timeously and more helpfully.”
Budge also says the SPFL included notes on six possible options for deciding the outcome of the season but claims the “language used is different” when it came to the body explaining why it believes its own solution is most suitable over others.
Murdoch MacLennan says Dundee have not yet submitted their crucial vote on the SPFL’s proposal.
“Instead of talking in terms of something being arbitrary or unfair or damaging, as is done when discussing other options, the language changes to talk of how this is the fairest method of determining the final League positions, “Budge said in the statement.
) “Clearly, this is a subjective judgement. It suggests that the Board has made a decision and simply wish now to convince the members to accept that decision. This is not, in my view, how you honor the principle that it is up to the members to decide how to ensure the fairest approach is taken.
“The Board has clearly discussed and considered various options. This is exactly what we would expect of the Board. However, to then dismiss all but one option and present only this option for a members vote, within a very limited timescale, must surely raise the question of whether the Board is attempting to unduly influence the members’ decision-making process. “
Falkirk chairman Gary Deans says the SPFL made the mistake of conflating separate issues and ‘backed themselves into a corner’
Falkirk chairman Gary Deans says the SPFL made the mistake of conflating separate issues and ‘backed themselves into a corner’
Budge , who said she would back a temporary adjustment to the league structure, also insisted she had “no more insight than anyone else” as to why Dundee’s vote has not yet been confirmed or into the claims being made by Rangers but insisted the whole affair had been damaging for the game in the country.
“This is a major embarrassment for Scottish football, one which I believe could so easily have been avoided, “she said. “Without openness, transparency and pragmatism, we will simply keep making the same mistakes.”
(Sky Sports News) has contacted the SPFL for comment.
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