SPL to discuss tougher rules on financial fair play

THE Scottish Premier League could be set to impose tougher rules relating to financial fair play as Rangers’ plight continues to impact on other Scottish clubs.

SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster has revealed that all 12 top-flight clubs will meet on Monday to discuss existing rules relating to financial fair play. On the agenda will be a debate to discover if there is an appetite to make changes to the current SPL rule book, including whether or not to impose more punitive sanctions on clubs who enter administration.

Rangers were deducted ten points after being forced into administration on 14 February over an unpaid tax bill of £9 million accrued since Craig Whyte’s takeover. Despite this penalty they remained in second place in the league, although the players are now anxiously awaiting news about staff redundancies.

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The situation at Rangers is also having a trickle-down effect on other Scottish clubs and Doncaster has stressed that it is vital those in authority do not “turn a blind eye” to an issue which concerns a majority of clubs.

Dunfermline are owed £84,000 in ticket revenue from their match with Rangers on 11 February and revealed yesterday they had to part pay the club’s February salaries to all staff, including management and players, with the remainder to be paid within ten days. The SPL were also asked by Hearts players to adjudicate on the failure of the club to make wage payments on time over a succession of months. Doncaster used his blog on the SPL’s website to outline the urgent need to look again at the issue of financial fair play.

He accepted that it could put the SPL in the “uncomfortable position” of having to rule against member clubs. “Whenever we are requested by professional players to adjudicate on their contracts, for example, we should continue to do so,” he wrote. “And, where appropriate, to rule in the players’ favour and to make orders for on-time payment by our member clubs.

“The integrity of the entire League – and the long-term interests of all 12 member clubs within it – demands that we do just that.”

Doncaster revealed that the SPL will seek to follow the “broadly sound” principle proposed by Uefa: that every club should operate within their financial means and not spend more than they earn. This aim featured among 11 key values presented by Uefa President Michel Platini to the 2009 Uefa Congress.

“It is this same principle that explains the position of the SPL,” he added.

“To turn a blind eye, to allow clubs to continually fail to make prompt payments as they fall due, would be to allow those clubs to gain an unfair sporting advantage over all those other clubs that pay their players, the taxman and other clubs on time.

“That is one of the reasons why, whenever the SPL receives a request from players to adjudicate on their contracts, it has a duty to do so.

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“The fundamental basis of any football league is that all member clubs are treated equally,” he continued. “But, increasingly, leagues across the world are going further. In England, for example, the Football League routinely imposes a player embargo on clubs who fail to pay their players in full and on time. And, in League Two, clubs have accepted limits on the amounts that they can spend, relative to their income.”

Monday’s meeting will seek to establish whether there is a desire to go down this path, and move further towards a situation where the clubs will be falling into line with Uefa’s decree that all clubs competing in European competition must have limited losses at least by the start of the 2014-15 season.

Rangers will be represented at the meeting, which will take place at Hampden Park, by a representative from the club’s administrators, Duff and Phelps, and also a club official, a spokesperson for the SPL confirmed yesterday.

“On the agenda will be our existing rules on financial fair play and whether our current rule book needs improvement in the face of the financial challenges being faced by several member clubs,” added Doncaster.

“If agreement in principle is reached, this could mean our clubs voting on new, tougher, rules on financial fair play at a general meeting, either in April or July this year.

“It will be a difficult debate. But it is vital that we do not shy away from these issues or bury our heads in the sand.”