SPFL begin paying outstanding money to clubs after Celtic crowned champions and Hearts relegated

The SPFL has already paid out prize money to some Premiership clubs after the season was terminated on Monday.

The 2019/20 campaign was concluded after teams agreed that the term could not be completed in a reasonable timescale due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Celtic crowned champions and Hearts relegated to the Championship.

Hearts plan to contest their “explusion”, either via league reconstruction or legal action, but in the meantime, the Evening News understands that invoices starting arriving in the SPFL’s inboxes soon after the decision was taken to end the campaign and that payments due to clubs were processed shortly after.

Many clubs in Scotland are feeling financial pressure as a result of inaction, with the last game on Scottish soil taking place on March 11 between St Mirren and Hearts.

Although some top-flight teams have put season tickets on sale for the 2020/21 term, others have held off releasing their packages due to the fact that there is no firm restart date for the sport and that fans may not be allowed into stadia for some months to come.