In the Name of “Sporting Integrity” Should the SPFL Relegate Hearts?

The SPL, earlier this week, issued a statement regarding Hearts.

Following Heart of Midlothian plc lodging a Notice of Intention to Appoint an Administrator with the Court of Session in Edinburgh on 17 June 2013, the SPL confirmed that a number of sporting sanctions have been applied to the club.

An SPL spokesperson said: “As Heart of Midlothian is subject to an Insolvency Event, a 15 point deduction will be applied to its total points in the League Championship for next Season 2013/14.  In addition, Heart of Midlothian is subject to an embargo on Registering Players with the SPL whilst in administration.”

There are a couple of thoughts about this.

First of all, how does the change at some point before next season from the SPL to the SPFL affect this? If the 15 point penalty which is based on 1/3 of the points gained in the preceding season is an SPL rule (as it is) how does this carry across to the SPFL?

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Compare and Contrast – Administration for Dunfermline ’13 and Rangers ’12 + A Quick Solution?

Dunfermline Athletic Football Club Limited has entered administration. Facing a winding-up petition from HMRC, and unable to pay the taxman what was demanded, the only way to keep the business afloat was to appoint an administrator and to hope that the breathing space this gives the company will be enough to allow the season to be finished, and then for the necessary asset sale or CVA to take place to preserve the existence of the football club. As I mention at the end of this piece, there is one theoretical possibility which could provide a quick exit from administration, with bounty for the creditors (and if it did happen, undoubtedly a busy summer of blogging on my favourite issues of law and football!)

The man picked to be administrator is Bryan Jackson. As well as being a top quality Chartered Accountant and Insolvency Practitioner, he now has the accolade of having run more Scottish football teams than anyone else in the country’s football history (and if not then I have no idea who could surpass him).

Guest Post by Andrew Keith – Dundee’s Administration in 2010 and Rangers’ in 2012

Andrew Keith, a Dundee fan and reader of this blog, has sent me some thoughts, referring back to a piece he wrote previously about Dundee FC.

He can explain it better than me, and I am happy to mark Dundee’s return to the SPL by having a Dundee perspective today.

And I will leave the floor free for Andrew now…

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With so very few cogent defences of Rangers’ indignation at their various ‘punishments’ available for comparison, I thought it might be self-satisfying to have a look again at a post I wrote in the aftermath of my team’s latest administration adventure. Interestingly, this might be turned around in the Rangers case and be less a defence and more of a call for further punishment.