Scottish Football League season OVER after Dundee vote U-turn on SPFL proposals

Dundee voted in favour of the SPFL proposals to end the 2019-20 Scottish Football League season
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Matt Davies15 April 2020

Dundee have voted in favour of the SPFL's season-ending proposal, bringing the 2019-20 campaign in the Scottish Championship and Leagues One and League Two to a close with immediate effect.

Scottish football's governing body were waiting on Dundee - who had originally stated an intention to vote against the proposed resolution - to announce their decision after an initial 'no' vote sent electronically before last week's deadline did not reach the SPFL and was retracted.

Their subsequent approval took the vote over the 75 per cent threshold required and means Dundee United are named winners of the Championship, with Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers taking the League One and Two titles respectively.

The SPFL have confirmed they are to launch a taskforce - led by Hearts owner Ann Budge and Hamilton chairman Les Gray - to explore the possibility of an expanded Scottish Premiership in 2020-21.

SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan said: "It is no exaggeration to say that this was an existential matter for Scottish clubs, with many of them telling us they were at real risk of going under unless the situation was resolved very quickly, so I'm pleased that the game has moved decisively.

Dundee United have been declared as the winners of the Scottish Championship
PA

"There was always going to be a highly-charged and passionate debate about how we secure the future of Scottish football. But what has been agreed today is not just the best way forward, it was the only realistic way forward.

"I now call on all 42 clubs to move forward in a constructive and positive way."

League One's bottom club Stranraer, one of two sides along with Championship side Partick Thistle to have their relegation confirmed as a result of the decision, described it as "grossly unfair".

In a statement the club said: "At this unprecedented time we felt unanimously as a committee that no football club, Stranraer FC or any other, should be at a detriment due to this horrendous situation.

"It is grossly unfair that any club should be relegated from their respective league whilst a quarter of the season still remains.

"We strongly felt that at this time more than any other that Scottish football should demonstrate the absolute philosophy of real 'sporting integrity' in order to ensure a collective responsibility to all member clubs."

The official approval of the SPFL's proposal means they will now release the promised £9million in prize money in a bid to aid clubs with financial struggles endured throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Premiership clubs will now have to wait to learn of their fate; Celtic would be crowned champions as things stand, while Hearts would finish bottom of the table.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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