Reconstruction: Gray will put pressure on Longmuir

HAMILTON chairman Les Gray vowed to seek a change of position from Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir on his approach to reconstruction talks ahead of a meeting of Irn-Bru First Division clubs tonight.

Longmuir is set to attend the New Douglas Park talks days after rejecting an offer from the Scottish Football Association to revive flagging attempts to 
restructure the game.

The clubs are meeting for the first time since St Mirren and Ross County vetoed proposals which would have redistributed money to the second-tier clubs in a merged 12-12-18 structure with extended play-offs.

Longmuir declined an offer from the SFA to “get involved” after a board meeting on Thursday, although he stressed he would like to share alternative proposals with the governing body and Scottish Premier League.

Gray told STV: “To be honest I was fairly disappointed with the wording of the statement, I felt we should be embracing all efforts to help us make this change and I don’t think David’s view reflected the First Division clubs that I had spoken to.

However, Gray dismissed any attempt to force a breakaway form the SFL. “I think the words ‘SPL2’ are toxic,” Gray said. “I don’t think it’s something we will discuss.”