Prediction: Stewart Regan – survives

Stewart Regan became chief executive of the Scottish Football Association in July 2010.  The position had been vacant after the resignation of Gordon Smith, with then-president, George Peat, acting in the role.

Within months the SFA was plunged into turmoil after a whistle-blower revealed that referee Dougie McDonald lied to Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, and the SFA match observer.  A further crisis was to engulf the SFA which would lead to the dismissal of the head of referee development and referees went on strike before the end of the year.

When Neil Lennon was able to argue two technical area bans were due to run concurrently, according to SFA rules, Regan accepted the rules he inherited were not fit for purpose and started an overview of rules and procedures.  This resulted in the establishment of the Judicial Panel system which recently disciplined Rangers.

Regan was posted missing from the on-going Rangers scandal which was consuming Scottish football until he was prompted to get involved when Channel 4 reporter, Alex Thomson, tweeted that he had been accused of lying by a media person at the SFA.  Perhaps sensing a serious error had been committed which would bring the association into disrepute, Regan immediately asked Thomson to get in touch directly and agreed to be interviewed on camera about the matter.

At the interview Regan told the reporter that SFA president, Campbell Ogilvie was “heavily conflicted” over the Rangers situation.

It is likely that Regan was put as off-balance as anyone inside Murray Park at the punishment handed out to Rangers by the judicial panel but he emerged with credit for establishing robust procedure, “without fear or favour”.

Prediction: Regan will be well prepared for tonight’s news and will issue a statement tomorrow.  He will survive the episode intact and will turn the crisis into the most impressive part of his CV.  Next move will be to a major PLC or government position as CEO.

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