NEIL DONCASTER needs to show some backbone and perform the leadership role that he’s paid to perform now that it has finally and once and for all been established that David Murray administered the biggest cheating scandal ever seen in British sport.
It is simply unthinkable that the game in Scotland can continue without this proven cheating being addressed and the rules of the game enforced.
Doncaster, who plans to brass neck it out, must be forced to act without fear or favour and apply the rules. If he is unable or unwilling to do so he must step aside.
Celtic earlier in the week issued a statement calling for the football authorities to get their act together and deal with this stain on our game once and for all but disappointingly other clubs have remained silent.
Despite considerable pressure from their own supporters Aberdeen have indicated that they will sit on their hands and say nothing against the cheats.
Shame on them.
Davie Hay, the Celtic ambassador, is very clear on what should happen in his newspaper column.
“I know that people might think I’m only saying this because of my connections with Celtic, but I think the SPFL have to seriously look at sanctions against Rangers now, even if that means stripping titles,” Davie stated.
“If they have been found to have gained an advantage by foul means, then that is the only fair thing to do.
“Personally, I don’t really care if Celtic or any other side who lost out are given the titles or trophies that would be taken from Rangers.
“In the Olympics, if a runner gets the gold medal years later after the winner at the time is found to have cheated by taking drugs, then it is never really the same.
“For me, this amounts to a similar situation, so perhaps the most common-sense thing to do is simply to strike those honours from the record books.
“I try to be an impartial observer, and I think if anyone from outside this situation were to look at the facts, that would be the common-sense outcome.
“The Scottish football authorities need to be strong with this. When sides have been found to have breached financial rules elsewhere, then they have received those sorts of punishments. It happened to Juventus in Italy, so why not here?
“I’m not saying this through sour grapes, although Rangers supporters will probably see it that way, but from a position of trying to protect the integrity and fairness of our game.”
“It seems to me as if the SFA have jumped the gun a bit here. I don’t understand how they can come to the conclusion so quickly that no further action against Rangers is possible.
“The ball is obviously in the SPFL’s court now, and with this verdict now having been made, they have to seriously look at all the facts and consider the implications of what they do next.
“Nobody wants to see such turmoil in the game, but the fact of the matter is that they must look at all of the options that are open to them, and if title-stripping is the most appropriate course of action according to the rules, then so be it.”
