kevfromkent
Well-Known Member
Lachlan Cameron, the Ayr United chairman, has launched a scathing attack on Ann Budge’s reconstruction proposals and declared that he will not support what he describes as a “let’s save Hearts campaign”.
As Budge, the Hearts owner, submitted plans for three divisions of 14 to the Scottish Professional Football League board yesterday, Cameron was angered by her “threat” of legal action and said that Ayr should not be expected to bend over backwards for one club.
The American was especially dis-paraging of the revamp’s temporary nature, describing it as “total nonsense”. He said that the proposed reversion to 12-10-10-10 in two years’ time would turn the 2021-22 season into an episode of The Hunger Games.
Cameron led the opposition on a day when Budge’s proposal already looked destined to fail. The Times understands that at least three Championship clubs have made up their mind to vote “no”. The plan will need eight of the ten in that division to support it.
Despite Budge’s claim that 14-14-14 was a flexible way for Scottish football to deal with the crisis, Cameron said it was nothing more than an attempt to spare Hearts a season in the Championship. With second-tier clubs lacking resources to play behind closed doors, their season is expected to be cut in half.
“I don’t want to be involved in that either,” said Cameron. “But I’m a Championship club so I have to abide by that. Hearts are a Championship club. They should abide by that. Just because they are better than the rest of us doesn’t mean that they get special rules. They are bigger than Livingston. They are bigger than St Johnstone. They are bigger than Hamilton. Well, guess what? They finished in last place.”
Cameron was on the original reconstruction task force that was scrapped. He has consistently opposed an expansion of the top flight and is adamant that any restructuring of the league should be permanent. Unless clubs later voted to reconstruct again, Budge’s plan could mean that three are relegated from the Premiership in 2022, as well as six from the Championship.
“That’s total nonsense,” Cameron said. “That’s the most self-interested thing out of all of this. It’s been very clear to me that nobody in the Championship or League One or League Two wants to talk about any of this if it is purely a ‘let’s save Hearts’ campaign. Temporary doesn’t do anyone any good. If you knew that you were going to lose 40 per cent of your league … that’s Hunger Games stuff.”
In the document, Budge suggested that Hearts were prepared to take legal action if the proposal was not carried. A ballot in which SPFL clubs voted to declare the season over meant that the Edinburgh club were relegated before the fixtures had been completed.
“I don’t deal well with threats,” Cameron. “If your threat is ‘do it my way or we will sue you’, well, sue away but this is a members’ organisation.
“Hearts are a big club. They, Rangers, Celtic, Hibs . . . they can stamp their feet and make things happen. If Airdrie, Ayr United or Alloa are aggrieved, we don’t have the weight of an angry mob behind us.”
The SPFL said in a statement that, having formally received the proposal, it would now facilitate a series of divisional meetings, starting with the Premiership on Monday, at which all 42 clubs would be given the chance to air their views. The Times understands that at least five clubs from the bottom two tiers have decided to vote “no”. Budge needs 75 per cent of the 20 clubs in those divisions to support her.
Cove Rangers won the League Two title, but the proposal would mean they remained in Scotland’s bottom tier. “It doesn’t work for us,” Keith Moorhouse, their chairman, said. “My understanding of reconstruction was that it would right all the wrongs and that no club should be disadvantaged by it.”
As Budge, the Hearts owner, submitted plans for three divisions of 14 to the Scottish Professional Football League board yesterday, Cameron was angered by her “threat” of legal action and said that Ayr should not be expected to bend over backwards for one club.
The American was especially dis-paraging of the revamp’s temporary nature, describing it as “total nonsense”. He said that the proposed reversion to 12-10-10-10 in two years’ time would turn the 2021-22 season into an episode of The Hunger Games.
Cameron led the opposition on a day when Budge’s proposal already looked destined to fail. The Times understands that at least three Championship clubs have made up their mind to vote “no”. The plan will need eight of the ten in that division to support it.
Despite Budge’s claim that 14-14-14 was a flexible way for Scottish football to deal with the crisis, Cameron said it was nothing more than an attempt to spare Hearts a season in the Championship. With second-tier clubs lacking resources to play behind closed doors, their season is expected to be cut in half.
“I don’t want to be involved in that either,” said Cameron. “But I’m a Championship club so I have to abide by that. Hearts are a Championship club. They should abide by that. Just because they are better than the rest of us doesn’t mean that they get special rules. They are bigger than Livingston. They are bigger than St Johnstone. They are bigger than Hamilton. Well, guess what? They finished in last place.”
Cameron was on the original reconstruction task force that was scrapped. He has consistently opposed an expansion of the top flight and is adamant that any restructuring of the league should be permanent. Unless clubs later voted to reconstruct again, Budge’s plan could mean that three are relegated from the Premiership in 2022, as well as six from the Championship.
“That’s total nonsense,” Cameron said. “That’s the most self-interested thing out of all of this. It’s been very clear to me that nobody in the Championship or League One or League Two wants to talk about any of this if it is purely a ‘let’s save Hearts’ campaign. Temporary doesn’t do anyone any good. If you knew that you were going to lose 40 per cent of your league … that’s Hunger Games stuff.”
In the document, Budge suggested that Hearts were prepared to take legal action if the proposal was not carried. A ballot in which SPFL clubs voted to declare the season over meant that the Edinburgh club were relegated before the fixtures had been completed.
“I don’t deal well with threats,” Cameron. “If your threat is ‘do it my way or we will sue you’, well, sue away but this is a members’ organisation.
“Hearts are a big club. They, Rangers, Celtic, Hibs . . . they can stamp their feet and make things happen. If Airdrie, Ayr United or Alloa are aggrieved, we don’t have the weight of an angry mob behind us.”
The SPFL said in a statement that, having formally received the proposal, it would now facilitate a series of divisional meetings, starting with the Premiership on Monday, at which all 42 clubs would be given the chance to air their views. The Times understands that at least five clubs from the bottom two tiers have decided to vote “no”. Budge needs 75 per cent of the 20 clubs in those divisions to support her.
Cove Rangers won the League Two title, but the proposal would mean they remained in Scotland’s bottom tier. “It doesn’t work for us,” Keith Moorhouse, their chairman, said. “My understanding of reconstruction was that it would right all the wrongs and that no club should be disadvantaged by it.”