It was the decision Scottish football was waiting on and Dundee’s call to vote yes on the SPFL ‘s season-ending proposal means Scottish football has some much needed clarity.
It’s been a week for the ages with statements, counter-statements and recriminations dominating the football agenda amid a global pandemic.
And Dundee chief Jon Nelms has become a central figure in the ballot that declares Dundee United as winners of the Championship, with Raith Rovers wrapping up League One and Cove Rangers emerging as champions from League Two.
But what happens next?
Read More
Scottish football crisis
We know the likes of Rangers and Hearts have been opposed to ending the season now but will cooler heads prevail with talks of reconstruction in Scottish football back on the agenda?
Record Sport addresses the burning issues facing Neil Doncaster and Co inside Hampden in the coming weeks and months.
Q. So the SPFL resolution was (finally) passed a full week after it was proposed and five days after the recommended deadline of 5pm on Friday. Can you remind us exactly what clubs were voting on?
A. The motion recommended the termination of the 2019/20 season in the Ladbrokes Championship, Ladbrokes League 1 and Ladbrokes League 2, with final season placings determined by points per game in league matches played to date by each club.
Q. Okay, but what about the Scottish Premiership?
A. They are likely to follow suit but want to give the best possible opportunity for the remaining fixtures to be played. Also, they have one eye on Nyon with UEFA having warned that any nation calling their top league were risking places in next season’s European club competitions. The UEFA executive committee is set to join by video link on April 23 so it should be clearer after that.
Q. Who are the big winners in all of this then?
A. Right now it’s Dundee United who have been crowned winners of the Championship and return to the top flight after a four-year absence, Raith Rovers who win League One and Cove Rangers in League Two. And Brechin City are also spared relegation from League Two despite being seven points adrift at the bottom. We haven’t mentioned Celtic but, unless by some miracle football returns, they will be crowned nine-in-a-row champions later in the month.
Q. Great for them but what about the losers?
A. Again, the ones immediately feeling aggrieved are Partick Thistle who drop to the third tier of Scottish football for the first time since 2005 despite being just two points behind second Queen of the South with a game in hand Stranraer drop down from League Two. Falkirk are denied the chance of promotion from League One despite trailing leaders Raith Rovers by a single point with the sides due to meet. And Highland and Lowland League champions Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts also miss out on the chance to go up through the pyramid play-off. Again, Hearts will have to wait to learn their fate but are also almost certain to drop into the second tier after that UEFA meeting on April 23.
Q. If the Scottish Premiership is prepared to wait, could they not have done the same with the lower leagues and, however unrealistic, tried to finish the season?
A. The key difference is that some lower league clubs were desperate to get their hands on end-of-season prize money (amounting to £9.3million gross) which couldn’t be be paid out until a line was drawn under the season.
Q. So when will they get that?
A. That money could be deposited into clubs’ bank accounts as early as 10am on Friday morning and will come as a huge relief to many of our struggling sides.
Q. Brilliant – so is it’s all good?
A. Well, not quite. If Partick Thistle carry through with their threat of legal action then there could be a bit of a delay.
Q. Court? Is there a threat of legal action here.
A. Absolutely. Partick Thistle have been seeking top legal advice and are adamant that Dundee’s ‘no’ vote – that would have seen the initial proposal fail – which was later retracted should have stood.
Q. Will Hearts do the same?
A. Ann Budge had threatened that at the outset but, crucially, there is a commitment to a shake-up of the leagues and she will lead a task force along with Hamilton’s Les Gray around an expanded Premiership model that could save the Jambos. In fact, depending on the new set-up then a lot of the “losers” could also be spared if other leagues are increased in size.
SPFL season-ending vote Q&A - the burning issues facing our game in wake of Dundee"s defining call - Daily Record
0 Comments: