Jim McInally demands clubs show they won't be bullied

jaws73

Well-Known Member
Official Ticketer
They are all beginning to line up now.

Ann Budge reconstruction plan slaughtered by Jim McInally as he demands clubs show they won't be bullied

Peterhead boss has laid into the Hearts supremo's proposals.

Jim McInally has slammed Ann Budge’s 14-14-14 reconstruction plan as he called for clubs lower down the SPFL to “show she can’t bully us”.

The Peterhead boss reckons the Hearts supremo’s proposals - which will be debated by the separate divisions next week - show a “total disregard” for clubs further down the tree.

He has instead called for League 1 and 2 sides to band together to get football back up and running by October in front of socially distant crowds and says grounds such as Peterhead’s Balmoor could accommodate.

Budge claims her revamp plan is the best way to ensure clubs aren’t further disadvantaged by the covid closedown.

But under a 14-14-14 revamp Peterhead, Clyde, Forfar and Stranraer would move into the bottom division - although they would still be third tier.

“It’s just not true (that no club has been disadvantaged),” he told the Evening Express. “It just shows a total disregard for other clubs.

“I hope everyone involved will fight this because she’s shown no regard for part-time football and part-time clubs. Hopefully we can make her pay the price for that.

“Nobody wants Hearts to be relegated, but if it comes down to Hearts being relegated rather than Clyde, Peterhead, Forfar or Stranraer or Cove being denied promotion then we need to fight and show she can’t come and bully us.”

McInally insists Leagues 1 and 2 could start again in October if there was a united front in planning to get fans back in grounds.

He said: “If clubs continue to look for different things, and not concentrate on what can be achieved by working together, then starting Leagues 1 and 2 will be delayed for a long time.

“However, if we all agree that playing in front of fans, playing each other three times and then possibly having a six and four split it could come back in a few months.

“Our ground at Balmoor holds 3,200 fans however we could introduce social distancing measures and still get in about half of that. Some clubs have already told us they would be willing to do the same.

“Pubs and restaurants should be open by October and that would also allow clubs to offer some sort of hospitality. That would help generate funds as well as the gate income from paying supporters.”

McInally added: “Players cannot train yet but if they can by August then they can get the Scottish FA recommended six weeks’ worth of work done and look for an October start.”

Budge's reconstruction plan requires 11 out of 12 Premiership clubs to back it as well as eight out of 10 Championship sides and 15 of the 20 clubs in the bottom two divisions.
 
A lot of the clubs in the lower divisions could quite easily have fans at their games, given the vast majority struggle to get an average gate of 500/1000 never mind reaching capacity.

They only thing they are forgetting is that they'll have to police things differently to ensure the distances are adhered to, and that's going to cost money.
 
Typical, even though he's 100% right about Hertz real agenda, as a *** rather than just keep schtum, he's only too happy to have a go at who he no doubt terms "the mini h*ns".
 
“Budge claims her revamp plan is the best way to ensure clubs aren’t further disadvantaged by the covid closedown”

Lies..... it’s to save your club from being relegated. Nothing more.
What would we ask of rangers if we were in their position? I dont understand why club chairman and womans self interest comes as a surprise to anyone. She isnt doing a very good job of it all though it must be said.
 
Socially distant crowds ??? They don’t have a feckin crowd.

This is what I don't understand about clubs in L1 & L2 talking about mothballing till next year.

The crowds they get are vastly less than their ground's capacity. How can they not do something like that and utilise the space.

Clubs like East Fife & Dumbarton who are one Stand grounds would have a bit more difficulty. But clubs who have vast open terraces could certainly have some sort of social distancing in place and allow them to get a bit of cash into their coffers.

Edit: Peterhead's last home game on Feb 25 vs Forfar had a crowd of 443. Game before that was against Airdrie on the previous Saturday 22nd and had a crowd of 557.
 
Last edited:
“Budge claims her revamp plan is the best way to ensure clubs aren’t further disadvantaged by the covid closedown”

Lies..... it’s to save your club from being relegated. Nothing more.
That's easy to solve. Convene another meeting and get her to explain exactly how

Better still, she could do it in an interview
 
Socially distant crowds ??? They don’t have a feckin crowd.

That is simply not true. These last three seasons they averaged a massive just under 700 (roughly 200 less than the season we played them 4 times), probably including stewarts, police, medics, vendors and tea ladies. That`s below 1/3 of their capacity. Going by that, Covid-19 should be no problem though either.

/cynical mode off/

You have to "admire" the gall he and hislike show untowards fellow clubs, i.e. some by default insignificant danger to themselves. Yet when Doncaster and Co. come calling ...
 
"McInally insists Leagues 1 and 2 could start again in October if there was a united front in planning to get fans back in grounds. "

yeah the government is really going to allow that just because football clubs pester them for it.

i'll be shocked if we see any other leagues in the SPFL kicking off other than the Premier.
 
This is what I don't understand about clubs in L1 & L2 talking about mothballing till next year.

The crowds they get are vastly less than their ground's capacity. How can they not do something like that and utilise the space.

Clubs like East Fife & Dumbarton who are one Stand grounds would have a bit more difficulty. But clubs who have vast open terraces could certainly have some sort of social distancing in place and allow them to get a bit of cash into their coffers.

Edit: Peterhead's last home game on Feb 25 vs Forfar had a crowd of 443. Game before that was against Airdrie on the previous Saturday 22nd and had a crowd of 557.
Easier to pack them into one stand than pay for the upkeep of all 4 sides
 
Ive not kept fully up to date, but have SPFL said that any Hearts lawsuits (because of reconstruction) could cost all clubs money...

Which is what they said about any Rangers legal route etc?
 
My understanding from Forfar's perspective with the original working group was that they were against 14-14-14 because it effectively puts them against the bottom 13 clubs, rather than the lower middle 9. Basically, lower expected gate receipts because of poorer opposition.

Personally thought it was shortsighted point of view at the time, but given Budge's plans are only for 2 seasons, I've no problem with it now. It harms them with no collective upside to the game other than keeping Hearts from relegation.
 
she’s shown no regard for part-time football and part-time clubs

Welcome to the shitty Scottish PROFESSIONAL Football League. Full of tiny teams that should be playing local football, and are unfortunately holding everyone back. Of course this was setup to screw us in the first place.
 
Why is everyone surprised that Budge is looking after her own?? She was given the remit to propose reconstruction by that slimey cvnt Doncaster via the fat Japanese so they could gift the scum the title. Of course she is going to keep Hearts from getting relegated.
 
I agree, why should Hearts demote his club to save their status. Its just more bullying. And at the end of the day if Hearts feel unjust which they should do, then do the thing you should have done weeks ago and take the corrupt cabal to court. Get a forensic audit of the Dundee vote. I hope clubs inc ours are not all talk now. Thats is certainly a worry by allowing the status quo to continue, whilst being shafted for all to see.
 
Another Lawwell patsy played into the media.
Who was telling the Radio Scotland podcast last week how he had dinner with O'Neill, Robertson and Walford the Friday before helicopter Sunday. And how he took Steve Walford's son to the game - who was lucky not to be lifted.

Boy was he hurting!


Mind him having a hissy fit when we signed Petric too. "All he talked about was wanting to play for Celtic".
 
Sporting integrity and what not if hearts finished bottom and they are looking to make the top flight 14 teams shouldn't the 3rd placed team in the championship be promoted and hearts relegated? Why should hearts be saved?
 
imagine if 14/14/14 happened and Peterhead finished 5th in the bottom tier then the leagues reverted back his club will have been effectively relegated ........ he has a point
 
Back
Top