Hearts fans plan to boycott away grounds as anger grows over double jeopardy SPFL relegation

Many Gorgie supporters won’t buy tickets for away games
Hearts fans are angry at their club's relegation.Hearts fans are angry at their club's relegation.
Hearts fans are angry at their club's relegation.

Hearts fans plan to boycott Championship away grounds next season following their enforced relegation from Scotland’s top flight.

Once mass gatherings at sports events are permitted by the Scottish Government, many Tynecastle supporters will not buy tickets from other clubs who helped send their club down.

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They are prepared to attend the Caledonian Stadium, home of Inverness Caledonian Thistle, but that could be the only exception made throughout the 2020/21 campaign.

Anger over Hearts’ demotion grew on Monday when a final attempt at league reconstruction collapsed. That confirmed they, along with Partick Thistle and Stranraer, would not be spared the drop.

The Tynecastle owner Ann Budge immediately launched legal action to take the Scottish Professional Football League to court over the vote by more than 80 per cent of clubs to end season 2019/20 prematurely.

League reconstruction would have resolved the discord but only 16 of 42 SPFL clubs indicated that they would support league reconstruction in a 14-10-10-10 format.

A number of those were in the Championship but also in the other three divisions. Inverness were firmly in favour of the plan which would have promoted them to the Premiership.

Hearts fans feel the decision to relegate subjects them to double jeopardy. The Premiership is due to start on August 1, but Championship teams have agreed not to kick-off until October 17 and play only 27 league matches rather than the normal 36.

That leaves the Edinburgh club out of the top flight, potentially losing between £4million and £5million as a result, and unable to play in August or September when they would be ready and willing.

Stevie Kilgour, secretary of the Federation of Hearts Supporters’ Clubs, explained to the Evening News how many supporters have contacted him about avoiding away matches.

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“The outcome of the league reconstruction talks is no surprise but we are all very angry,” he said, stressing he was not speaking on the Federation’s behalf.

“We just hope Hearts take it all the way and use every legal route they can. I had quite a few calls even leading up to Monday's decision. I've had a lot of calls from people saying: 'Absolutely no away days apart from Inverness.'

"One or two people have even suggested approaching Hearts to ask them not to handle away tickets, with the exception of Inverness. That's nothing official from the Federation, it's just the calls I'm getting.

"So all these club treasurers sitting out there thinking they will get a bit Hearts support coming, they better think again. It won't help playing Friday night games in the Championship either.

"There is a lot of anger among Hearts fans and that will carry on for a while, I think.”

Kilgour believes an interdict to prevent the Premiership kick-off should be pursued by Hearts, followed by a compensation claim if that fails.

"I really hope Hearts go the full road and go for an interdict to stop the start of the season. First of all, I think we have to fight to keep our place in the league. If we still don't get it, then we go for compensation,” he added.

"I think most Hearts fans would feel that way. If that makes it difficult for other clubs, then so be it. They have brought it on themselves.”

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The 2020/21 season will start behind closed doors for Premiership teams. Hearts, though, face the prospect of staying idle until October despite having facilities and funds in place to train and play.

"Clubs should have been asked: 'Can you or can you not start?' If you can, then you're in. If you can't, you're out. We are being punished again in that sense,” said Kilgour.

“Hearts and a few others outwith the Premiership can play, including Partick Thistle. As it stand, Partick might not have a league at all to play in. That's absolutely shocking.”

Kilgour lamented what he and many Hearts supporters feel is an attitude of self-interest throughout the SPFL. The organisation is run by the 42 member clubs and an executive board.

"Clubs have shown they are only focused on self-interest,” he continued. “Whether it's grudges getting settled or personal dislikes, maybe certain chairmen don't like Ann Budge, I don't know. Whatever is behind this, it certainly isn't for the betterment of Scottish football.

"There is no understanding of the situation we are in. Hearts were bottom of the league when football stopped in March, and rightly so because league tables never lie.

“At that moment in time we still had eight games to play. How many times over the years have we seen teams looking like they are down, then they claw their way out of it?

"I believe Hearts would have done that. At the very least, I think they would have made it into the relegation play-off place. We were just over three-quarters of the way through the season. Relegation is decided over a full season.

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"The SPFL is a severely flawed set-up. Everything from the voting system, certain clubs carrying more influence than others, people on the board with self-interest, and so on. There has to be a revamp of Scottish football. I've said that for years and years.

"Having two organisations running the game isn't a great thing either. There should be one governing body in charge. The SPFL should be club-owned, not club-run.

“This situation has shown just how flawed the whole system is. Just because it's been like this for more than 100 years doesn't mean it has to stay like this forever.”

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