Stephen Halliday: Gordon Strachan’s defence of Dundee’s voting doesn’t add up

Efforts to airbrush the impact of John Nelms’ change of heart won’t wash

Gordon Strachan defended Dundee chief John Nelms. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

The former Scotland manager can divide opinion among the football public but no-one could ever accuse him of lacking quick-wittedness.

So it can only be assumed that Strachan was, at best, being disingenuous this week with his attempt to justify Dundee’s hokey cokey approach to casting their vote on the SPFL’s resolution to end the 2019-20 season.

As technical director at the Dens Park club, it’s understandable that Strachan would wish to come to the defence of his boss, managing director John Nelms.

But Strachan was stretching both credulity and the facts when he claimed “Dundee’s vote makes no difference to how the Premiership has got to finish”.Sorry Gordon, but the inescapable reality for Nelms, no matter how he tries to dress it up, is that his vote made ALL the difference.

Had he stuck with his original decision to reject the resolution, it would have failed. Not only would the Championship, League 1 and League 2 not have been ended as they were, but the SPFL board would not have the authority they now possess to decide if the same conclusion is applied to the Premiership.

Nelms ultimately acted in what he considered to be the best interests of his own club, which is his fiduciary duty. But Dundee’s efforts to airbrush the impact of his change of heart on the top flight from the history of this sorry saga simply won’t wash.