SPFL statement: Motherwell FC (Fir Park trouble v Rangers)

[Frankie 8,186]

Relevant to RFC chat for obvious reasons:

 

http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/spfl-statement--motherwell-fc/

 

Motherwell FC found to have breached SPFL Rules on Unacceptable Conduct and directed to make and report on a series of changes and actions at Fir Park.

 

The SPFL today announces that Motherwell FC were charged by the SPFL Board with a number of breaches of SPFL Rules relating to Unacceptable Conduct in relation to the second leg of their PlayOff Final match at Fir Park against Rangers FC on 31 May 2015 (the “Match”).

 

Motherwell FC were found by an SPFL Commission to have failed to discharge the requirements of SPFL Rules H33 and H34 and to have as a consequence breached and failed to comply with the SPFL Rules regarding Unacceptable Conduct.

 

Following receipt of the Match report of the SPFL Match Delegate and an investigation by the SPFL Executive, the SPFL Board commenced disciplinary proceedings against Motherwell FC before a Commission chaired by solicitor Rory Bannerman.

 

The Commission, after a hearing extending over a number of days, found that:

 

- a partial failure in the implementation of the ticket sales arrangements by Motherwell FC for the parts of the ground reserved for Home supporters contributed to Rangers FC’s supporters obtaining tickets for those parts of the ground, which resulted in an increase in the risk of Unacceptable Conduct occurring within the ground;

 

- the ticket allocation arrangements for the Match adopted by Motherwell FC, which resulted in the majority of the seats in its South Stand being left vacant whilst the others were occupied only by Rangers FC supporters, led to an increase in the number of Rangers FC supporters seeking and obtaining tickets for other parts of the ground reserved for Home supporters, contributing to a partial breakdown in the segregation arrangements and which resulted in an increase in the risk of Unacceptable Conduct occurring within the ground;

 

- a flare was thrown from the main stand by a person who has not been identified by Motherwell FC. This flare was dealt with inappropriately and in an unsafe manner by an employee of Motherwell FC who had not been adequately trained;

 

- individual Motherwell FC supporters entered the pitch area during the Match and a significant number of Motherwell FC supporters immediately after the end of the Match entered the pitch area in a disorderly manner, taunting and provoking the Rangers FC supporters who remained in the South Stand; all of which constituted Unacceptable Conduct in circumstances where the stewarding arrangements were inadequate in light of the history of such post-match pitch incursions at Fir Park at the last match of previous Seasons;

 

- Motherwell FC did not, so far as was reasonably practicable, ensure that incidents of Unacceptable Conduct did not occur at the Match; and

 

- Motherwell FC has yet to demonstrate sufficient action being taken by it to identify those of its supporters and others who engaged in Unacceptable Conduct at the Match and has failed to demonstrate any action being taken against those supporters who have been so identified and who engaged in Unacceptable Conduct at the Match; this includes those who were involved in the throwing of the flare and those who entered the pitch area both during and after the Match.

 

At a separate, later hearing, the Independent Commission decided to defer a final decision on sanction for 18 months. During this 18 month period Motherwell FC is directed by the Commission:

 

- to give, within 28 days of the date of the Commission’s determination, a written undertaking to the Commission attaching an adopted policy of the club agreed by the club’s board of directors that decisions regarding ticket allocation and ticket issuing in respect of Fir Park will have as their primary consideration safety and security.

 

- during the 18 month period of deferral to comply with the SPFL Rules on Unacceptable Conduct and produce a written report on that compliance;

 

- during April 2016 to provide the Commission with an interim written report on the Club’s identification of as many as possible of those who were guilty of Unacceptable Conduct at the Match and the proportionate steps taken by the Club in relation to each of those identified persons, and to provide a full report on this issue at the end of the 18 month period;

 

- one month prior to the expiry of the 18 month deferral period to provide a written report evidencing compliance with documentation requirements on Health and Safety, training of all staff on how to deal with flares etc. and how to respond to incidents of Unacceptable Conduct; and

 

- one month prior to the expiry of the 18 month deferral period to provide the Commission with a final written report of the measures taken and which will be taken to prevent ‘last home match pitch incursions’ at Fir Park and to provide an interim report on this issue during April 2016.

 

At the end of the 18 month period the Commission will make its final decision on sanction. It is reasonable to expect that one of the factors which the Commission will take into account at that stage is compliance by Motherwell FC with the various matters which the Commission has directed be actioned by Motherwell FC during that 18 month period.

 

[Frankie 8,186]

If Motherwell are thumbing their nose at the SPFL RE: Unacceptable Conduct, giving them another 18 months to act seems remarkably lenient. The trouble at Fir Park happened nine months ago so if they can't find the trouble-makers in that period, why would another 18 months help?

 

With every passing incident, the SPFL merely show themselves to be incompetent in addressing such issues. Also, what of Police Scotland's appalling contribution?

[buster. 4,809]

SPFL are the member clubs and as a body will on the whole look to give opportunities to individual clubs to solve problems / undertake reasonable measures to prevent X and Y......before taking punative action.

 

The main problem IMO is much higher up the food chain and is with influential lobby groups (over many years) and legislators.

They have helped facilitate a ridiculous level (society wide) of politcal correctness and badly flawed discrimatory legislation aimed at football supporters.

[chilledbear 16]

If it had taken place at Ibrox !!!

[ian1964 10,457]

It's a pity they never held back for further investigations when we were pumped out the league!

[ian1964 10,457]

Halliday got a second yellow for fist pumping celebrating a goal because his celebration "might have caused a riot" getting him sent off and missed the next game!,"it might have caused a riot",here we had a riot and nothing has been done about it!,only in Scotland!.

Edited February 8, 2016 by ian1964

[andy steel 0]

Nice how the report is laid out.

 

Anyone with a chip on their shoulder might think the inference was that any trouble which occurred was as a result of points one and two, the presence of Rangers fans in home areas, 'which resulted in an increase in the risk of Unacceptable Conduct occurring within the ground' (note the redundant capital letters - it's like one of those fan statements which go for a heavy, formal tone but just sound horribly contrived).

 

We have some pretty oddball fans but I doubt many of them raced onto the pitch to goad the actual Rangers end; while if their presence wound up the home fans that much, one imagines any Motherwell fan wanting to lord it at full time would merely have had to turn to their neighbour, rather than sprint up the length of the pitch.

Edited February 8, 2016 by andy steel

[26th of foot 5,859]

If it wasn't for those pesky fifth columnist Bears infiltrating the home ends and spreading sedition .........................................

 

It's a well known fact that half-a-dozen Bears dressed as nuns kayaked from Ibrox to Baron's Haugh, slipped ashore, and began discourse. The same group turned their kayaks in the opposite direction in late August and beached in Port Glasgow. In claret'n'amber garb, they ignited flares and invaded the Cappielow pitch. The Peoples Friend is alive to waterways infiltration. Next week's copy sports a pastel shaded print of lusty Lanarkshire lads sparking their bits at Motherwell mercat cross.

 

Who penned that report? D C Thomson's Hon Man is guy busy these days.

[Davie P 4]

What has Scotland come to, when some fans go to jail for singing songs and rioters are let off with basically no sanction. It staggers belief.

[calscot 0]

Should we await the outcry from the usual suspects on all matters relating to supporter trouble (when Rangers related), or shoundn't we hold our breath?