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Club Statement | SPFL Resolution Edinburgh City Football club would like to confirm that we voted against last week’s SPFL resolution. We did so on the basis that we do not believe any clubs should suffer financially for the current situation created by the COVID -19 pandemic. Without the full league programme being completed, we felt that teams being denied the opportunity of promotion or facing relegation would not be in line with the philosophy of “Sporting Integrity”. Additionally, we were opposed to the suspension of the pyramid system. We strongly advocate league reconstruction featuring an increased premiership with promotion from each division, including the winners of the Highland and Lowland leagues joining the SPFL. This would be a solution which creates only winners and no losers. It is also our view that there is no clear reason why prize money – or at least a large percentage of it – could not be paid out immediately given these exceptional circumstances. http://www.edinburghcityfc.com/2020/04/13/club-statement-spfl-resolution/

Also, had that vote not technically been received by the 5pm "deadline" (which conveniently became "28 days") then Dundee's vote should have been registered as an abstention.... and, funnily enough, an abstention would mean it still fails because they fail to get the 75% affirmative votes for a pass. Now, if the SPFL are saying that the 5pm deadline was only advisory then every other club should also now be allowed additional time - yes, 28 days, in which to re-cast their vote should they wish to do so because, to not allow that, allows ONE member club additional time that 41 other clubs are not being given.

How Scottish football's voting farce led to open warfare breaking out Ewan MurrayThe SPFL wanted clubs to end the season but Dundee’s missing vote has resulted in the game’s governing body being questioned Scottish football does not have a monopoly on toxicity. At times like these it just feels that way. In a period when serious discussions should be taking place about the recalibration of football post-pandemic open warfare has broken out. People with involvement spanning decades admit they have not encountered anything quite like the past few days. When the chairman of the Scottish Professional Football League rounded on “damaging misinformation” in the media he had a cheek. The SPFL’s reputation has been damaged, all right to the point of laughing stock by a voting farce which barely feels believable. The league’s board stands accused by the owner of a major club of exerting undue influence. Another club wants the SPFL’s chief executive and legal advisor suspended. The SPFL has routinely been harmed by thousands belting out verses from a sectarian hit parade on live television and missiles from the stands resulting in no proper sanction at all. This body has no title sponsor for next season, a television deal - plus plenty more - beholden to one fixture, an annual split which distorts the fundamentals of league football and has been a recurring on-field laughing stock beyond its own border for years. If Murdoch MacLennan believes the media has tarnished what he presides over one wonders about his sense of perspective on the weekend his league deemed it acceptable to release results of an incomplete vote. Dundee haven’t enjoyed, if that is the appropriate term, as much time in the limelight since they were jousting with Milan in the semi-final of the 1962-63 European Cup. In the context of 2019-20, the Dens Park club has become embroiled in an almighty and unsatisfactory mess; about which, three days later, they remain conspicuously silent. The earlier chain of events would have rocket scientists scratching their heads. After weeks of background talks, clubs were hastily delivered with a proposal that would close and call the campaign. Despite glaring fixture imbalances, average points per game - as never heard of before - would be implemented. The top flight planned to delay an announcement of Celtic as champions and relegation for Hearts until they could tickle Uefa’s tummy on 23 April. Finance was mooted as key; define league placings, issue more than £9m of prize money deemed vital during coronavirus. The league has never allowed any sense of finishing 2019-20 to linger. The SPFL has told clubs of its anxiety to be in a position to start the new season on the first weekend of August as per a new contract with Sky. An early April letter from the Scottish government to the SPFL curiously states “based on the specialist advice you received it would be likely to take around six weeks of group training and conditioning before players are ready to safely play SPFL fixtures again”. Season 2018-19 ended on 19 May, with Rangers playing in the Europa League on 9 July; after a close-season break. Clubs had guidance to deliver votes by Friday; 75 per cent in the top flight, 75 per cent in the Championship and 75 per cent in Leagues One and Two combined would pass the resolution. It exposes a woeful governance structure that Albion Rovers and Cowdenbeath have influence on outcomes for Celtic and Hearts and vice versa. By an uncanny quirk, three clubs represented on the SPFL board would appear to benefit from a yes vote; Motherwell to the tune of third in the Premiership, Hamilton in respect of guaranteed safety and Brechin - this is the most extraordinary aspect of all - spared a relegation play-off when rooted at the bottom of League Two. Rangers have a man on the SPFL board but in a football sense are in the rare position of having precious little to lose nor gain with the league being abandoned now; as hasn’t prevented a row of epic proportions with the league. Dundee’s vote, a key one, was missing as the SPFL took the unprecedented step of telling the public how 39 of 42 clubs had voted on Friday evening. By Saturday the Inverness chief executive, Scot Gardiner, had confirmed a “No” ballot paper, signed and dated by Dundee’s managing director, was valid as circulated around fellow clubs. MacLennan’s explanation, 24 hours later, insisted Dundee “attempted to submit a voting slip, which did not reach the SPFL until late that evening”. The league chairman added: “Earlier, at 6pm on Friday, that club had confirmed in writing to the SPFL that any attempted vote from that club should not be considered as cast.” So there we have it; Dundee somehow knew their vote wasn’t going to land imminently and, in the meantime, asked the league to disregard it anyway. It is perfectly plausible that an electronic firewall blocked Dundee’s email. Far more concerning is the as yet unexplained events and communications that caused the club to back off from its casting. Dundee were obliged - by everyone apart from the SPFL - to resubmit precisely the same paper. In not doing so, and somehow being cast as kingmakers, Dundee and the SPFL have fatally undermined the outcome of this resolution. It simply cannot be taken seriously. The SPFL’s desperation to have the resolution passed was laid bare last week. “The alternative is further weeks, and possibly months, of uncertainty and financial hardship for dozens of clubs which are desperately looking for a way to survive,” said a spokesman. This language appeared needlessly aggressive, even before the Hearts owner, Ann Budge, raised the question of “whether the board is attempting to unduly influence the members’ decision-making process”. Clubs are, surely, allowed to vote as they see fit Rangers’ central grievance, never understated, relates to evidence in their possession which they allege “raises serious concerns surrounding the SPFL’s processes relating to its stewardship of the voting on the resolution presented to member clubs”. MacLennan has compelled Rangers to hand over said paperwork. On the face of it, not unreasonably, the Ibrox club don’t want to furnish the very people they are complaining about with information. Rangers’ problem relates to what their alternative is. If the league are absolutely adamant there have been no dark arts they should call Rangers’ bluff and convene an independent investigation. Rangers also failed with an initiation of a resolution aimed at releasing end-of-season funds to SPFL clubs. A Rangers spokesman said on Sunday that “the SPFL board already has the authority to provide loans to member clubs”. Such a principle questions the league’s position on “financial hardship” given that the prize money is already in its bank accounts. Celtic are in an invidious position albeit a rump of their support, casting aspersions at Rangers’ broadsides, are specialists in railing against Scottish football officialdom. This discord for now has nothing to do with Celtic, spare a wish to have a ninth title in succession confirmed at some point and the recurring suspicion - for now it is only that - of Scotland’s dominant force exerting too much influence at the summit of the game. That Rangers don’t want Celtic’s retention of the trophy nailed down is as obvious as Tuesday follows Monday; it may be that a sufficient racket has been made for any title celebrations to be laughed off by all external observers anyway. We are entitled to act similarly in respect of the entire scene. Calm heads, sensible decision-making and working for a greater good has never been so vital nor so absent. https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2020/apr/13/how-scottish-footballs-voting-farce-led-to-open-warfare-breaking-out

It's certainly going to be an interesting few days/weeks. Hopefully the cracks will keep coming until the whole rancid cesspit is burst wide open.

As I said, someone has to take this to court if need be.

We’ve been laughed out of Court literally and metaphorically too often in recent years. It’s the advice Park’s been getting that worries me.

My mistake The SPFL have obviously been at it, it´s about being able to prove it.

Presume you mean Douglas Park? The SPFL behaviours is intriguing. Not exactly the actions of an innocent party.

Precedent over the last decade doesn´t make me particularly optimistic that the evidence will be high grade enough to achieve what we are apparently hoping for. However, the one difference is that Douglas Park very much put his name to it. Hopefully, that means something.

We´ll never have any investigation, independent or Polis with what is out there. The only way that changes is if Rangers come to the table with high grade whistleblower evidence.

Am I the only one ( & Ally McCoist too maybe) who thinks Fridays fiasco should be getting investigated by the police? Can we be sure friday’s vote wasn’t rigged by certain individuals? Corporate crime ?

The very thought of maintaining this split is nauseating to me. It's a pile of garbage. And with 14 teams, in the split, you get a club every week with a bye week. No big deal I suppose but not for me.

Since the winter break it's been dire absolutely crap

Not consigned to the dustbin of history, yet, but kept as a potent myth to delude the credulous and retain their belief system. You will have noted that this lore is taken out for an airing, occasionally, and paraded, publicly, like the bones of some long dead saint.

Aye, you only start a war you think you´ll win. I hope we have more WMD´s than Iraq and Iran.

I forgot how attacking that formation was. It was a front three of Arveladze, Mols and Cannigia, with DeBoer playing in behind. I noticed it was from Amoruso to the front three quite often. I wonder if that is what people mean when they want it played forward quicker? I appreciate the sentiment but it's not the most stable way of playing.

Trades descriptions need to be brought in to force a name change to the Rangers Football Monitor. They go on about it being to hold governing bodies to account rather than focus on Rangers. These past few days have neatly shown that to be blatant bullshit. They are also purveyors of the whataboutery clause when required but don´t allow anyone on their messageboard to point out when they push whataboutery with both barrels.

Was their dark shennanigans going on behind closed doors?........ Of course However, unless we can and do prove it, they´ll be able to wriggle out of it allbeit with a degree of reputational damage, but given their reputation wasn´t good before this event, it won´t make much difference. And unless we can and do, we´ll end up getting slaughtered by a willing media.

It now looks very probable that the League season will remain incompleted and I still believe that no matter what we do, Celtic will ultimately declared as winners. The campaign to undermine that potential and probable outcome should have publicly started way before Alastair Johnson talked about 8 and a half and not IMO initially by a board member of the club. If the present and ongoing battle can bring real change to the SPFL power structure then good, it will have been worth it. Otherwise, I´m struggling to see what we´ll get out of it. That said, the whistleblower evidence, if revealed, might or might not change the whole scenario.

A month of lockdown has pushed me back to the messageboards ? but what the F is going on in the world of Scottish fitbaw ? I´d followed the headlines without looking at the detail until Saturday when the howitzer was fired ! What is our endgame wrt what we want out of this ? and what are the chances of achieving it or at least enough of it so as to make it all worth it ? I note the SPFL now pushing a mediatic defence of their position ahead of their next move, which won´t be to open an independent investigation. Teflon Doncaster, ShiftyMcGinty and the overweight lawyer will probably look to take the initiative and fudge a solution that clubs will be happier with and carry on regardless. If more or less so (including no investigation), ...what do we do (including the whistleblower evidence) ?

He is correct Next few days will be interesting

Gordon Banks Jimmy Armfield Terry Cooper Billy Wright John Terry Bobby Moore Johnny Haynes Jimmy Greaves Bobby Charlton Paul Gascoigne Tom Finney Subs Alan Shearer Stanley Matthews Alan Ball Duncan Edwards Martin Peters David Seaman Roger Hunt

MPs are getting an additional expense allowance and not a pay increase as you are incorrectly implying. MPs at £1,600/week are not comparable to EPL players getting £50K-£200/ week. If you do want to discuss the rights and wrongs of MPs salaries and expenses then take it to the Bluenose Lounge.

I’ve listened to the whole Sportsound interview with Scott Gardiner, the Inverness Caley Thistle CEO. Seems to me SPFL knew Partick Thistle, Inverness CT & Dundee were going to vote NO and the proposal would fail. And the 3 clubs did vote accordingly as Scott Gardiner said in the interview by stating the various times each club voted before 5o’clock. Then IIRC the SPFL put out a statement last night just after 5 o’clock claiming the Championship had voted 7-2 with one club not voted. I think we’re supposed to believe that club is Dundee. It seems to me that the SPFL, realising the proposal would fail, went back to Dundee to try & get them to change their mind. But there was a problem. They’d already voted. So the SPFLmade up a story about the email not being received despite there being evidence (which Scott Gardiner has) that Dundee had already voted. If this is true then those responsible at the SPFL should be suspended from their positions immediately pending an enquiry. Also are the SFA going to get involved ? Or are they going to hide behind the SPFL like they did with us in 2012?

From my master class for weans about a year ago. The old ritual lineup at the kickoff was GK 1, RB 2, LB 3, RH 4, CH 5, LH 6, OR 7, IR 8, CF 9, IL 10, OL 11. No names or numbers on the jerseys in early times. The formation was more fluid than that during the game. The centre half in the three was really a centre fullback so the backline was RB, CH, LB. As play developed with a team attacking on the right, the RB advanced but rarely beyond the half line. The CH also came forward but not as far as the RB and the LB dropped back so there was a diagonal across the pitch. If the attack was on the left the diagonal swung the other way, pivoting on the CH, hence the description of the CH as the pivot, usually in journalese “the big pivot”. The weakness of the system is obvious. A clearance out of defence into the space behind a RB in an advanced position for a pacy winger to run onto caused problems unless Eric Caldow was there with his speed of thought and foot to come across to the rescue. Willie Telfer was the last of the old pivots. Bill Patterson was the nominal CH in a four man defence of RB, Shearer, RH, Davis, CH Patterson, LB Caldow. Davis played between RB and CH and slightly forward of the line. The half backs were theoretically defenders but one usually was more forward going and the other defensive eg Davis and Billy Stevenson. The inside forwards were attackers but one was often a fetcher and carrier - Sammy Baird, perhaps - and the other a craftsman to unlock the defence and unleash the wingers - McMillan the prime example. Rangers in the last of the fifties and the sixties played 4-2-4 before it was invented. Hearts were the first team to officially play that system with Danny Ferguson wearing 7 on his jersey playing RB. (“Gerrup yer wing, Fergyssunn”, cried the Gorgie afficionados.) If a team was very lucky and had John Greig, the defensive/forward distinction for the half back didn’t matter because he could play both in the same game. Is the spectacle better now? Yes if you’re watching City or Barcelona but for the most part, because of its flaws, the nominal 2-3-5 was more exciting and less predictable

50% wage deferrals, so they are not dropping a single penny in wages, they will make it up at a later date. Yes it helps cash flow in the short term, but I really don’t see this as much of a sacrifice from very rich and well paid people. A 30% wage cut until this is over and full time training can restart would have been much better for our club in the bigger picture as it would actually reduce our biggest overhead significantly at a time where we have nothing coming in. All the deferral does is add to our debt. Good to see we will be using the furlough system as well and topping it up to full pay for our support staff throughout the club. We are not in a position like a lot of the clubs elsewhere that can afford not to use this.