Show us the money
Published 23 Jul 2012 09:00
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JOHN Yorkston slammed SFA chief executive Stewart Regan and said the club want compensation after missing out on an SPL reprieve.
The Pars were overlooked as Dundee were invited to replace Rangers in the top league, a decision that left the chairman fuming.
Yorkston hit out, "It's been mishandled from start to finish and we're far from happy with Stewart Regan sticking his nose in, which was totally inappropriate.
"We were told it was SPL clubs that would vote but it's obvious from his leaked email that it was decided three weeks ago that Club 12 would be Dundee.
"It makes you wonder what the hell was going on.
"Then you've all that carry-on with Rangers going into the Third Division, the SPL clubs kicked them out and were all up in arms when Rangers weren't voted into the First Division? It was a farce."
Jim McIntyre's Pars team endured a marathon of 36 matches and a battle with rivals Raith to reach the SPL last year - Dundee got up last Monday after a meeting of just over two hours.
While the SPL has said nothing officially, Neil Doncaster said on TV that "sporting merit" was behind the reason for replacing Rangers, a club who ran
up more debts than they could pay, with Dundee.
Ironically, the Dens Park side have gone into administration twice in seven years for running up debts that they could not pay.
The argument that they merited it for finishing second in the first division didn't wash with Pars fans either, Dundee ended up 24 points behind Ross County in a much weaker league than the SPL.
Yorkston said, "We're not going to do anything that would jeopardise the start of the leagues.
"We are talking to lawyers but we've written to the SPL as we need clarification on how they define 'sporting merit'.
"The decision certainly goes against a lot of precedent but it won't be resolved in a week and a lot will happen in the background."
The SPL rules are that one team is relegated and one team, the champions of the First Division, is promoted to the SPL.
Pars position was that Rangers had, effectively, been relegated and therefore they should stay up.
It's not clear if the club can claim compensation for the loss of income they would have received in the SPL - potentially a sizeable sum.
The chairman said, "It took until 11 days before the start of the season before we heard which league we were in and an appeal to challenge Dundee's place in the SPL would take weeks.
"Good luck to them, they got in and we didn't, but we're going to see what we can do."
In a period of limbo, the club has missed out on signing targets while the issue of newco Rangers was passed between the SPL, SFL, the SFA and all 42 clubs.
Jim Jefferies couldn't sign anyone until they knew what league Pars would be in and he now has to get players in quickly to bolster his squad for an assault on the first division title.
Yorkston said, "It's not the best preparation you could get although the good thing is we've got the Ramsdens Cup but then a break as we the relegated club gets a bye in the league cup.
"We may get a friendly on the 4th August but the league starts on the 11th August which gives us a bit more time to get people in."
He added, "Relegation from the SPL means a drop in income, certainly seven figures, but that doesn't always work its way down to the bottom line.
"We budgeted on the basis of being in the First Division.
"We felt we had a strong case to stay in the SPL but I think the fans will enjoy the First Division with derbies against Falkirk, Raith and Cowdenbeath.
"I'll be glad to get back to watching the team again, I need my fix!"
This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 19 Jul 12
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