SPL threat effectively terminates football in Scotland
Posted on 29 June, 2012 by Paul67
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Yesterday evening STV revealed the real outcome of last week’s meeting between Stewart Regan, Neil Doncaster and David Longmuir as a proverbial gun was put to the head of Scottish Football League clubs.
In short, SPL chief executive, Neil Doncaster, no doubt with the support of some clubs but without the prior knowledge or support of Celtic, has threatened to kick 20 SFL clubs out of the senior game unless they acquiesce to his demand to parachute Sevco into the First Division.
The proposal was presented by SFL chief executive, David Longmuir, and appears to carry his endorsement.
Five scenarios are portrayed:
‘Rangers’ remaining in the SPL is dismissed as SPL clubs have confirmed they will vote no.
‘Rangers’ going to the third division is objected to on two grounds, financial (which is laboured a bit) and – wait for it – “The sporting opportunity is quashed for other clubs”.
Ponder that one for a moment, “The sporting opportunity is quashed for other clubs”.
‘Rangers’ to the First Division is presented as being “financially possible to recover from this scenario”.
‘Rangers’ to SPL2 is dismissed as apparently this would create “a bigger divide” than moving ‘Rangers’ to the First Division but not changing the name of the league. It is also noted that a legal challenge could bring paralysis.
Finally, they discuss ‘Rangers’ terminated or suspended, which apparently would lead to “complete financial meltdown”.
Then come the inducements to co-opt ‘Rangers’ into the First Division…. cash, your cash. Lots and lots of your cash, an “immediate cash benefit for all 30 clubs!” The exclamation mark is theirs!!
We could spend all day dissecting this disgraceful document but I’d like to focus on one immediate element:
‘Rangers’ terminated or suspended – complete financial meltdown.
So how do the SFA, SFL and the SPL rogues who participated in this shambles propose to ensure the SFA Independent Judicial Panel does not suspend ‘Rangers’ for subverting our game for over a decade for fielding illegally registered players for that period?
In short, it cannot. The independent judicial process will itself need to be subverted. As I suggested a few days ago, the judges will be told they are no longer wanted, we are back with the hand-selected SFA committee men.
The three most senior executives running our game have told you that one errant club is so powerful it cannot be subject to the rules and must not face the punishments which are due.
I’m not going to dispute the validity of this view (just now), but surely we deserve some honesty? If the Scottish Football Association and Scottish Premier League has accepted the ‘game’ is over, let’s hear from them. Where is the leadership from the SFA president on the collapse of the game under his watch? What are the chief executives saying to their paying customers?
Our sport cannot be subverted below radar.
You have been cheated and the rules will be changed to ensure there are no consequences. This is no longer a sport, it is a financial accommodation where a few executives are threatening to expel 20 clubs, most of whom have over a century history in the senior game, to allow Sevco to start two divisions higher than they otherwise would.
Celtic can have nothing to do with this.
The game here is dead. The leagues are set to collapse, most likely, no matter what happens now.