SPL 'won't get involved' in Craig Thomson row

Scottish Premier League chief executive Neil Doncaster today stressed the organisation must not become involved in the Craig Thomson affair.

Speaking at Fir Park today as the SPL announced a new sponsorship deal with Mitre, Doncaster insisted Hearts must be left alone to decide Thomson's future following the player's conviction for "lewd, libidinous and indecent behaviour".

Doncaster said: "It's very important that as a league we recognise what is within our jurisdiction and what isn't.

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"When it's decisions on individual players that has to be something that's dealt with by clubs and clubs alone.

"It would be a worrying sign if a league got involved with any decision on any player. Clubs have to take their own decisions."

Thomson earlier this month pleaded guilty, was fined and placed on the sex offenders register in relation to his inappropriate conduct towards two under-age girls over the internet.

Initially on Friday, Hearts announced that they planned to retain the services of Thomson, but yesterday they suspended the full-back and his future is now uncertain.

Also yesterday the SPL confirmed no action would be taken against Hearts or Celtic following a match between the two clubs where Neil Lennon was allegedly attacked by a supporter.

The incident took place during a league game at Tynecastle on May 11, when the Celtic manager was approached by the fan while in the technical area.

Doncaster added today: "We were satisfied with the delegate's report, with the referee's report of the game, that everything that could have been done by the clubs was done.

"The individual has been banned for life from Tynecastle, he has had the full force of the justice system thrown at him and that is the appropriate way to deal with individual transgressions of this type.

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"It's very important that we look forward to the season for the right reasons and draw a line under what happened last season."

Doncaster was speaking as the SPL announced a four-year deal which will see Mitre continue as official ball supplier until 2015.

Mitre has supplied the SPL with match balls since 1998 and the Tensile ball will continue to be used this season.