ATHLETIC have confirmed that they voted "unanimously" in favour of SPFL proposals to bring their season to an end.

Last week, the league shared a proposal to terminate the campaign in the Championship, League One and League Two, with final positions determined by points per game in league matches played to date by each club.

The resolution also recommended that Premiership matches remain postponed indefinitely, with a view to try and play them, but stated that if they could not be, the top flight would also be terminated in the same way.

The SPFL, which said it would commit to talks over league construction ahead of next season if the proposal was passed, required nine Premiership clubs, eight from the Championship, and 16 across League One and League Two, to vote yes for it to be agreed.

Having attained the required support from the Premiership, and League One and League Two, by 5pm on Friday, nine of the 10 Championship clubs had voted.

Two of those - Partick Thistle, who face relegation, and Inverness Caledonian Thistle - voted against the plan, and were believed to have been joined by Dundee.

However, yesterday evening - after the Press went to deadline - the Dens Park club confirmed they had voted in favour, allowing the resolution to pass.

It means that Championship leaders, Dundee United, have been declared as champions, as have Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers in League One and League Two respectively.

Partick, currently bottom of the Championship, are to be relegated, as are Stranraer from League One.

In a statement released last night, Athletic said: "We wish to confirm that the DAFC Board unanimously agreed to vote in favour of the SPFL resolution to end the current season.

"The preference would have been to complete our season, but it is now apparent that will not be possible. More importantly, it is clear that we must protect everyone in our society including players and supporters, as well as doing what is right for Scottish football.

"Our club will be adversely impacted by dropping a place with a corresponding decrease in prize money. However, other clubs may suffer more and we are sympathetic towards our colleagues at other clubs.

"It is important for everyone within Scottish football to now to come together and as a club we will continue to remain calm and humble, be dignified and respectful of others.

"Football clubs are very much at the heart of our communities and it is our duty to continue to show compassion during these difficult times."

Following Dundee's vote, the SPFL confirmed that 81 per cent of its 42-club membership had voted in favour, and that Ann Budge and Les Gray, of Hearts and Hamilton Academical, would lead a "reconstruction taskforce".

That would be centred on a possible "expanded Premiership model" ahead of the 2020/21 season.

The organisation's chief executive, Neil Doncaster, said: "Prior to this positive result, we were unable to make the vital end-of-season payments, which will provide a lifeline to so many clubs in the lower divisions.

"From our detailed discussions with clubs, many were facing an enormous cash-flow crisis. We have moved as quickly as possible to try to resolve this unprecedented situation.

"We’ve achieved the 75% agreement threshold in the Ladbrokes Premiership, Championship and Leagues 1 & 2 and will now be working as quickly as we can to get the end-of-season payments to members in the three lower divisions by the end of this week."

SPFL chairman, Murdoch MacLennan, added: "Firstly, I want to pass on my warmest congratulations to all three clubs on their successful campaigns.

"This was a highly unusual end to the season, to say the least, and not the one any of us would have preferred, but all three deserve enormous credit for their performances over the course of the season.

"With the turmoil and uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, there was always going to be a highly-charged and passionate debate about how we secure the future of Scottish football.

"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.

"Whilst more than 80% of clubs agreed with the directors’ written resolution, it’s clear that others were strongly opposed.

"There has been talk of voiding the season, making emergency loans and so on, but what has been agreed today is not just the best way forward, it was the only realistic way forward and I now call on all 42 clubs to move forward in a constructive and positive way."

 

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