Clubs reach 'no consensus' over preparations to call SPFL season early and reject Covid match forfeit penalty

The result of the questionnaire was inconclusive. Picture: John Devlin

The Scottish Professional Football League surveyed the 42 members and the responses gathered at the end of last week has shown no shared agreement on deciding how the season should end.

There was an almost unanimous rejection of the suggestion to penalise clubs with a 3-0 defeat if they were unable to fulfil fixtures due Covid-19 or restrictions.

There was mixed feeling over giving powers to curtail the campaign back to the Hampden office-bearers, an idea last rejected in July, and SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster warned the latest consultation would not be the last of the season.

Neil Doncaster said the second consultation would be unlikely be the last. Picture: SNS

He said: “Like everyone in the game, the board is keen to avoid the division and dispute caused when Scottish Government restrictions prompted by Covid-19 forced the curtailment of last season.

“In light of the fast-changing nature of coronavirus restrictions, the board is seeking to ensure that the game is as well-prepared as it can be for any eventuality and the League is consulting regularly with all 42 member clubs.

“We have already carried out one such consultation exercise this season and the second, which we have just completed, is unlikely to be the last. In the interests of transparency, we expect that we’ll continue to monitor and publish the collective views of clubs as the season develops.”

Club responses included the following:

20 clubs agreed that they would be content to give the SPFL Board at this stage in the season power to curtail the season (on a points per game basis) if a particular threshold of matches had been played; 17 clubs agreed they would be content to give the Board power now to void the season if an insufficient number of matches had been played by the date of curtailment; 12 clubs were in favour of the SPFL Board being granted broad powers to manage further Covid-19 related disruption to the season. A number of other clubs were undecided, with some suggesting they may reconsider later in the season; only four clubs were in favour of a 3-0 defeat on any club not fulfilling a fixture. A number of clubs expressed the view that the existing system, which gives the Board power to allow or refuse individual postponements and to investigate circumstances, allows “due process” to be followed before any sanction is imposed; 19 clubs felt it was 'too early to take decisions now’

Clubs could also not decide how many fixtures would constitute a valid season to have been completed.

Mr Doncaster said: “We are grateful to all those clubs who responded. It is very clear hat there is no consensus, let alone the necessary majorities, for any decision to be taken now about how we might draw this season to a close if it becomes impracticable to complete all fixtures as a result of Covid 19 disruption.

“Encouragingly, the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 Strategic Framework underlines that professional football will continue to be permitted, even under Tier 4 restrictions, giving us the best possible chance of completing the season, and that remains our over-riding focus.”

Earlier today club sources told The Scotsman the ‘middle of the road’ proposals were unlikely to be agreed.

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