Ralph Topping resigns from SFA commitments...

[Frankie 8,198]

..due to pressure of work.

 

Interesting timing!

 

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/top-football-stories/ralph-topping-steps-down-from-sfa-board-commitments-1-2266262

 

SPL chairman Ralph Topping has resigned his SFA board commitments due to pressure of work. The 60-year-old, who is chief executive of bookmakers William Hill, will continue in his non-executive role with the SPL which he has held since 2009.

 

At the start of this season, Topping was appointed to the new Professional Game Board (PGB) of the SFA which was created as part of chief executive Stewart Reganâ??s radical restructuring of the organisation. Topping was also elected onto the main SFA board of directors as a representative of the PGB.

 

Toppingâ??s decision to step down from SFA duties leaves a vacancy on both the main SFA board and PGB. The SPL are allowed three representatives on the PGB â?? the others are currently SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster and Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell.

 

One of those two could now be in line for a place on the main SFA board, while an SPL appointed replacement for Topping will join the PGB.

 

Doncaster, meanwhile, has admitted that the continuing uncertainty over Rangersâ?? participation in the SPL next season is hampering efforts to finalise the new £80 million television contract with Sky and ESPN, as well as attempts to find a replacement for title sponsors Clydesdale Bank.

 

â??We have agreed terms with Sky and ESPN for a new five-year deal from this summer,â? said Doncaster.

 

â??But, as is the case with many commercial contracts, long form commercial contracts follow the initial agreement.

 

â??We still have another season with Clydesdale Bank as our main sponsor who will exit in the summer of 2013. So discussions remain ongoing. Generally, having clarity going forward would be helpful to everyone. Not merely to ourselves in the SPL centre, but to all 12 member clubs.

 

â??To have that clarity, to understand what the league looks like next season, would be helpful to all.â?

 

While the main business of yesterdayâ??s SPL general meeting was adjourned, it did approve a new financial disclosure regulation which includes the requirement that clubs have no outstanding sums due to other SPL members as at 31 December any year.

 

â??The essence of it is that it brings our rules more into line with the SFAâ??s on financial disclosure,â? said Doncaster.

 

â??It makes it clear that itâ??s important clubs donâ??t have any outstanding sums due to any other clubs. You can still have staggered transfer payments, as long as there are no outstanding payments.â?

[Jim1955 12]

If i have understood all the various claims about monies owed by and monies due to Rangers regarding football transactions then we have more debtors than creditors. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong. I appreciate that the SPL may be talking about claims between member clubs but football is bigger than the SPL. We are owed more than we owe when it comes to football debts. That said, it's another sign that, maybe, the SPL are starting to recognise the whirlwind that they have sown.

Edited May 1, 2012 by Jim1955

[stewarty 1,881]

I'm getting the sense that realpolitik is taking over with regards to the reality of the sanctions being imposed and the reaction of our support. I don't for a second believe that this is coincidental. I also suspect that William Hills and others will be thinking very carefully about whether to become, or continue to be, partners/sponsors with the SFA and SPL while they continue to bumble from one issue to the next.

 

I suspect Topping's resignation is paving the way in this regard. It would have been a difficult one for him to remain as a non-exec if he is also the Chief Executive of a sponsor that is being damaged in some form as a result of their association with the SFA.

[pete 2,499]

Step in Rod Petrie making the firing squad even stronger.

[stewarty 1,881]

Step in Rod Petrie making the firing squad even stronger.

 

Possibly, but we appear to getting down to the reality of all these machiavellan tactics from Lawwell. The Sky deal is the number one issue here. No Sky deal then everyone including Celtic are damaged.

 

Say Lawwell's plan B is to create their own TV channel and have Celtic fans subscribe to this instead? Fine, we now have a potential income stream we can control which can contribute to funding the club on a more long term basis, and to help finance the CVA process.

[stewarty 1,881]

And this wont suit the likes of Petrie as its a big risk for a club like Hibs to start their own channel. So would they be able to service their cost structure with no tv money?

[Darthter 542]

And this wont suit the likes of Petrie as its a big risk for a club like Hibs to start their own channel. So would they be able to service their cost structure with no tv money?

 

'specially from the 1st Div...

[26th of foot 5,874]

Clearly, there is a concurrent choreography going on in the shadows of the Rangers crisis. The shadows get longer and the power struggle becomes keener. Another Rangers hating Lawwell placeman will further expose the Board to ridicule. Once again, Lawwell will be trawling his comprehensive file marked, 'useful idiots'.

[Zappa 0]

It's time for those two muppets Regan(SFA) and Doncaster(SPL) to tender their resignations as well !!!

[ian1964 10,486]

Clearly, there is a concurrent choreography going on in the shadows of the Rangers crisis. The shadows get longer and the power struggle becomes keener. Another Rangers hating Lawwell placeman will further expose the Board to ridicule. Once again, Lawwell will be trawling his comprehensive file marked, 'useful idiots'.

 

Maybe a bit melodramatic but could this be Liewells way of attempting to move to the EPL?,destroy Scottish football and be left with fuck all to compete with!.