Fan pressure gets through to SPL chairmen

My initial reaction, that the outcome from today’s SPL meeting and votes on Financial Fair Play, was on the upside of expectations, appears to be well founded.  All matters not relating to a Newco football team were passed.  Clubs had the opportunity to vote through a process to allow a Newco access the league but it was apparent that there was clearly insufficient support for this proposal, making subsequent proposals to apply sanctions to a Newco moot.

I understand sentiment towards Rangers reflected the comments from St Mirren chairman, Stewart Gilmour, who said, “What’s a court getting involved in football for? The decision had been made.”

There is no question that fan pressure has been brought to bear on club chairmen.

This interpretation compares starkly with BBC Reporting Scotland tonight who, if I paraphrase, said, ‘If Rangers don’t get a CVA, depending on your point of view, they will either get “back” into the SPL with light or with punitive punishment’.  The broadcaster also threw in the suggestion that ‘Rangers’ might get ‘back’ in without punishment.

I’m a huge admirer of Reporting Scotland but this was perhaps the worst 60 seconds in 85 years of BBC reporting.  There was a decision made to ignore the real story, that no facility to get a Newco (not Rangers) into the SPL was approved, to ignore the outcome of several months of fan pressure, and to tailor a story that suits a controversial narrative.

Fortunately, it looks like the BBC will be back on form soon, but they really need to look at what happened today.

As for the CVA, it becomes less and less likely by the hour.

UPDATE

Having spoken to BBC Reporting Scotland’s Alastair Lamont it’s clear he has been briefed differently from me, which explains the contrast between our interpretations. This story is becoming a nightmare to report, and probably to read. Fair play to Alastair for being up for the debate. I feel much better about my favourite news programme.