When we are in the midst of a global pandemic that is claiming lives and are reduced to discussing times emails have been received, perspective has well and truly been lost.
Friday evening’s unfoldings around the SPFL’s proposals to terminate the season, awarding promotion to three clubs and relegate two others, descended into farce. There is no real other word for it.
We are sat here with 40 of the 42 clubs having voted on the issue of terminating the Championship, League 1 and League 2 season with the current standings, promoting the league leaders and relegating Partick Thistle and Stranraer.
It emerged that the 5pm deadline issued by the SPFL was a request, not a mandate. Clubs actually had 28 days to cast a vote, despite having just 48 hours to make a decision after a video conference call from the governing body.
The motion has been carried in the Premiership, with 10 voting in favour and two against. It has also been passed in League 1 and 2, with 16 of the clubs backing it.
Dundee have been outed as the club in the Championship as the one outlier. Listening to the Sportsound programme on Saturday and Caley Thistle chief executive Scot Gardiner outlining the timeline of events on Friday was a baffling eyeopener.
For whatever reason, of their own choosing, after being informed that their vote had not been received, the Dark Blues’ secretary was told by chief executive John Nelms to hold off re-submitting the vote.
So we are sat in a farcical state of limbo. Rangers have come out and eviscerated the SPFL and its chief executive Neil Doncaster, calling for him and the league’s legal adviser to be suspended, with an internal investigation called for.
Accusations have also surfaced of clubs being bullied into voting for this resolution, with the phrase “a gun to their heads” used by BBC pundit Michael Stewart. We have gone so far down the rabbit hole now we are having tea with the Mad Hatter.
Dissenting voices against the proposal have urged prize money to be released without the leagues being called, giving time for fixtures to resume. Counter-arguments are then thrown up about impinging next season’s TV deal.
The simple resolution in my mind, for what it is worth, is to promote two from each league, expand the top flight to 14 teams and promote both Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts.
It is marginally unfair on those clubs in play-off places but you are not unjustly punishing sides with relegation, when they mathematically had a chance of survival. Adjust relegation places at the end of next season if you want to return to a 42-team SPFL. Give clubs prize money, prepare for next season. It is the lesser of all evils.
But the longer this goes on, the worse everyone looks. Jim McInally called it right on Saturday. He is past caring what happens, given more important things at stake.
A sentiment that ought to be more widely appreciated.
