SPFL Clubs Fail To Agree COVID-19 Measures
Less than half of the 42 SPFL member club are in favour of granting the governing body permission to curtail the season should further COVID-19 measures impact fixtures for the remainder of the current campaign.
Just 20 clubs said they would back the move and 38 clubs rejected the question of the league body imposing a 3-0 defeat if a side cannot fulfil a fixture.
“The board is keen to avoid the division and dispute caused when Scottish Government restrictions prompted by Covid-19 forced the curtailment of last season,” said SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.
“It is very clear from the responses that there is no consensus, let alone the necessary majorities, for any decision to be taken now about how we might draw this season to a close if it becomes impracticable to complete all fixtures as a result of Covid 19 disruption.
“The board continues to seek to complete every scheduled League fixture on its scheduled date, except where necessarily dislocated by cup matches, and welcomes the Scottish FA board decision to have no replays in Scottish Cup matches during the current season.”
Results of the consultation included:
- A total of 20 clubs agreed they would be content to give the SPFL board at this stage in the season power to curtail the campaign (on a points per game basis) if a particular threshold of matches had been played by the date of curtailment.
- Just 17 clubs agreed that they would be content to give the SPFL board the power now to void the season if an insufficient number of matches had been played by the date of curtailment.
- Twelve clubs were in favour of the SPFL board being granted broad powers to manage further Covid-19 related disruption to the season.
- Only four clubs were in favour of the SPFL Board being given the power to impose a 3-0 defeat on any club not fulfilling a fixture.
- Nineteen clubs felt that it was “too early to take decisions now” and that decisions on any Covid-19 related disruption should be considered later in the season.
