Coronavirus and the Scottish Championship

[rb123!]

23 minutes ago, Speroni*1 said:

If it turns out to be true that we've agreed a few friendlies in exchange for our vote, a lot of people are very naive as to that being the only thing agreed. Publicly, maybe.

If you've been bribed with money it'll get out into public sooner rather than later and all hell will break loose.

[rb123!]

Rangers fans taking the latest developments well

[Guest DAVIDB69]

Still intrigued as to why we are now quoting , no football till August which is strangely enough the new season . Yet England have now started making plans to go back in June to resume the season

 

[Ludo*1]

8 minutes ago, rb123! said:

If you've been bribed with money it'll get out into public sooner rather than later and all hell will break loose.

I highly doubt it tbh.

[rb123!]

1 minute ago, DAVIDB69 said:

Still intrigued as to why we are now quoting , no football till August which is strangely enough the new season . Yet England have no started making plans to go back in June to resume the season

Personally IMO England are a bit deluded with being back playing in June, reckon it's not outwith the realms of posibility of the national lockdown being lifted until middle of June. Seems the English governing bodies are as thick as the ones in Scotland.

[RedEd]

2 minutes ago, DAVIDB69 said:

Still intrigued as to why we are now quoting , no football till August which is strangely enough the new season . Yet England have no started making plans to go back in June to resume the season

The Scottish season (for most clubs) normally starts in July with the League Cup.

[rb123!]

1 minute ago, Speroni*1 said:

I highly doubt it tbh.

Well i'll rephrase that slightly, certain clubs would go mental (Rangers, Hearts, Partick, Falkirk). Rest probably wouldn't be bothered as long as they get their prize money and their position in the league is safe

[jagfox]

Quote

Tuesday 14th April, 2020 at 2:17pm

At a time when football is not a priority and when people are suffering across the country, Partick Thistle is dismayed that Scottish football remains in limbo as a result of Friday’s vote.

The basis of our approach throughout this situation is that no club should be worse off, either financially or in a sporting sense, as a result of any resolution.

We have obtained a Joint Opinion from Senior and Junior Counsel to identify what can be done to remedy this situation. The QC’s legal Opinion concludes:

1. The information dispensed to Clubs and the process utilised in putting forward the resolution, could potentially be held to be a breach of the duty by the SPFL to provide sufficient information to member clubs to allow them to make a properly informed decision in relation to the SPFL’s resolution. In particular, the Opinion highlights the fact that the SPFL did not explain to member clubs alternative means by which payments could be made other than by requiring the immediate termination of the current league season. On that basis, clubs may have lacked sufficient information – by omission – to make an informed decision based on the SPFL’s briefing document.

2. The original vote by Dundee FC was cast in line with the SPFL’s own rules and must stand, meaning that the resolution falls.

3. There is the potential for the SPFL Articles to be altered, as would be required to bring a season to end early, in order to, for example, facilitate the payment of fees to Member Clubs.

To secure a vote to end the season, the SPFL linked it to releasing funds to hard-pressed clubs, making it clear there was no alternative. However, as it now transpires, there was a vehicle to release monies in the shape of loans, quite apart from the possibility of changes being made to the SPFL Articles to allow the payments normally made at the end of the season to be made now. We would urge the SPFL to move immediately to approve loans to clubs against the monies owed to them at the season end, based on their current position in the league.

With that urgent situation dealt with, there can then be considered discussion involving all clubs to address the way forward for Scottish football in this unprecedented season. The SPFL presented to clubs (in 25 pages of briefing note and resolution and with 48 hours to consider it) that there was no alternative. It is now apparent that that is not the case.

Again, we restate that we are uncomfortable with the position Scottish football finds itself in at a time of national emergency and have been reticent to get involved publicly.  However, as a Board, we would be wrong not to share the Opinion with our fellow clubs across the leagues, as well as with our staff, management, players and fans.

 

[RossDee01]

Shouldn’t you be at work?

Fucking hell don’t you learn?

[Trogdor]

4 minutes ago, Speroni*1 said:

I highly doubt it tbh.

I suspect you are right. In the event that it happens. There are ways and means of doing it legally. It may be over several seasons - cost free loan players, friendly where Dundee get the full gate receipt and even third party sponsorship where sponsor is introduced by one club to another. I'm sure there's loads of other ways that aren't wads of cash in a brown envelope.

I'm in the sceptical camp right now though, I think it's more likely to be tied with league reconstruction (permanent or temporary I'm not so sure though). I doubt Nelms would allow his reputation to be tarnished by cockwomble without pulling out some big concession on league reconstruction.

[Thumper]

Genuinely think the best outcome now would be to end every league except the Championship, so that Partick and Dundee can be miserably deposed of their aspirations of staying up and being promoted respectively by the rest of the league ganging up on them.

[rb123!]

Next step for Partick will probably be legal action against the SPFL, that'll be great entertainment if it comes to that.

Edited April 14, 2020 by rb123!

[Bigmouth Strikes Again]

4 minutes ago, rb123! said:

Next step for Partick will probably be legal action against the SPFL, that'll be great entertainment if it comes to that.

Any half competent QC would absolutely destroy Doncaster etc in court. Looks like the dopey DAB's have shot their bolt a bit too early.

Thank you.

[Trogdor]

12 minutes ago, rb123! said:

Next step for Partick will probably be legal action against the SPFL, that'll be great entertainment if it comes to that.

I am a bit surprised that Partick have pressed the legal button. That said a legal opinion is very different to legal action.  

I think it's all a tad premature until they see what the outcome of Dundee's vote is and what the SPFL board actually do.

ETA - I see Thistle have actually published the full legal opinion. 

Edited April 14, 2020 by Trogdor

[Sir Peh McBridie]

Reading twitter is quite amusing at the mo.

Dundee better brace themselves for the sevco hate if they do change vote.

[jagfox]

I’m not sure a club can take the company (SPFL) to court unless they are a public limited company and raise their claim outwith the confines of the league. 

 

[superbigal]

So if the alleged negotiations between the epl and govt are true. Clubs are indemnified against players sueing them etc.

The friendlies Dundee are talking about are actually pre start up fixtures for man city and liverpool etc

[Dee Man]

18 minutes ago, Thumper said:

Genuinely think the best outcome now would be to end every league except the Championship, so that Partick and Dundee can be miserably deposed of their aspirations of staying up and being promoted respectively by the rest of the league ganging up on them.

Oooh, "ganging up", that sounds scary. 

 

[Ludo*1]

Dundee haven't actually done anything yet. The seethe mixed in with mass amount of tears really is lovely.

[craigkillie]

I think Thistle's statement is pretty much spot on here. I don't know about point 2 because I'm not privy to how the rules work, but 1) and 3) are exactly what I have been saying for weeks.