SPFL To Hold EGM In Face of Rangers Allegations
The SPFL have announced an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) for next month in response to Rangers, Hearts and Stranraer’s call to the board.
Rangers have claimed that they have evidence that raises concerns over the voting process for the recent resolution and the SPFL’s handling of it.
And with the support of Hearts and Stranraer, the SPFL have granted the EGM to take place at 11am on Tuesday 12 May 2020.
The 42 clubs will vote on whether to instigate an external review of the circumstances surrounding the vote to end the lower three divisions, and possibly the Premiership season, with some SPFL board members warning the game could face ‘incalculable’ damage.
Rangers have said they will provide evidence to all member clubs well in advance of the EGM that would be enough to trigger a fresh investigation.
The approval of 75% of SPFL member clubs at a general meeting would be enough to trigger a fresh investigation.
The SPFL released the following statement: “As SPFL directors, we have volunteered our time freely, in uniquely difficult and challenging circumstances and have participated on a fully-functional SPFL board, which we believe has operated in an entirely fair and even-handed manner.
“We have each put our own self-interests behind us, to do what is best for Scottish football but have had to endure our professionalism and integrity as well as our compliance with our legal duties to the company being openly called into question in recent weeks. ”
The letter stated that the five-strong executive team have an “extremely onerous workload” after other staff were furloughed.
“As a consequence, has everything been done perfectly and has it always been fully communicated? Of course it has not, and this is a point we have already raised to ensure the organisation is future- proofed for subsequent boards after we stand down.”
“We are unaware of any impropriety or any disregard for appropriate qualities of corporate governance.
“If Rangers Football Club has a dossier of evidence which shows anything to the contrary, then we would repeat the call for it to be brought forward immediately, because we, as club representative directors, have a clear duty to interrogate any allegations of misconduct or the like which it contains.
“The SPFL board is dealing with a fast-moving set of circumstances, with a skeleton staff trying hard to prioritise matters. It’s an unenviable job, and we are sure the many fair-minded people in Scottish football fully understand this.
“All of the executive team retain our full support and admiration. Further recrimination and division will only decrease our chances of playing football matches in Scotland any time soon.
“The players, fans and officials deserve our best collective efforts. At a time when thousands of people in our communities are dying of Covid-19, Scottish football needs to reflect and consider how this looks to the outside world.”
“But if the resolution fails to gain the support of enough members and the requisitioners nonetheless continue on their current course, the cost to our game will be incalculable.”
