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A disastrous resolution vote has once again seen Scottish Football plunged into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
In retrospect it should have been an easy process, the proposal from the SPFL was to conclude the Championship, League 1 and League 2 early with all standings being determined by a per game system. It would also give the SPFL the authority to do the same with Scotlands top tier league. All that was needed was for Scotland’s 42 professional clubs to cast a simple yes or no answer. What followed was an embarrassing disaster.
The SPFL had set a 5 pm deadline for votes to be cast in each league. The Scottish Premiership, League 1 and League 2 all voted in favour of the proposal, the Championship, however, hanged in the balance. The SPFL were unable to find Dundee Football Club’s vote.
If Dundee were to vote yes, the resolution would pass. But if the club voted no, the resolution would fail. With the SPFL having prematurely released the results of how the other clubs had voted, an intense level of pressure was placed upon the Tayside club.
It had been originally believed that the club would vote no, effectively rendering the SPFL’s resolution a failure. But with the SPFL releasing the information that in fact, all clubs had up to 28 days to decide – instead of the 5 pm deadline – Dundee took their time before handing in their choice. The club voted yes.
The resolution had been passed, but some have seen the SPFL’s handling of the voting process as undemocratic. Namely Rangers’ who released a statement following the result of the resolution. The statement said; “No fair-minded person can take the outcome of this vote seriously. The SPFL has conducted a process which has been misleading and deeply flawed.
“In particular, publishing the outcome prior to all clubs having voted has undermined the democratic process and demonstrated unacceptable standards of corporate governance by the SPFL Executive.
“We are extremely concerned that member clubs were not provided with enough information, or time, to allow them to make fully informed decisions.”
The statement also claimed that directors of other clubs had been bullied into making a decision, calling for an independent investigation into the SPFL’s handing of the voting process. Rangers have also stated that the club continues to examine ‘all legal option available’.
Patrick Thistle has also said that they were deeply unhappy at the voting process, but would not press legal action due to a lack of funds and to ensure that the SPFL did not withhold money to the clubs most in need.
The argument of whether or not the SPFL's resolution vote should stand has roused much debate across all forms of social media. A poll carried on Twitter has revealed 61% of people think that vote should stand, with 39% disagreeing.
Only time will tell if any clubs really do take the SPFL to task of the disastrous vote, but at least Scottish Football is providing a source of entertainment through the coronavirus pandemic.
