New Statement from Stenhousemuir FC Chairman

Craigie

Well-Known Member

CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE​


Unfortunately this update is with regards to a new shutdown for our football club

As most will be aware, all football below the Scottish Championship level has been suspended by the Scottish FA Joint Response Group (JRG). This includes the Stenhousemuir men’s first team and all other teams within the structures that flow underneath. The younger age groups in our community programme are still able to train, and the club will remain in contact with parents to make them aware of any changing arrangements.

News of the suspension is disappointing. There is no evidence to suggest that football clubs are responsible for spreading the virus between clubs or into other communities. The positive test rate amongst players has been no greater than the rest of society. If there was evidence to suggest that football clubs were a source of wider virus spread then of course action would need to be taken, but there isn’t.

Whilst this decision is disappointing, we will do all we can to keep the players ready for a resumption of football when we are allowed to do so once again. The suspension places further strain on our club, will limit the ability of our staff to carry out their duties, and it has significant potential to interrupt our ability to do business in the transfer window.

As many people will have heard, we found out about the suspension from the Scottish FA/SPFL when we were sent a copy of a press release addressed to the media. There had been no consultation with clubs, no warning and no support offered. We find this deeply disappointing.

As has also now been widely reported, there was a scheduled SPFL General Meeting of Members held on Wednesday 13th January where clubs expected to be able to discuss this critical development. To clarify the timeline, this meeting was just 48 hours after the decision to suspend clubs was announced in the media. I am bitterly disappointed to confirm the reports in the press that the SPFL refused to allow any discussion between clubs on this topic, and any other issues in that meeting. Club representatives had their microphones muted and the only communication accepted was where clubs could email questions to the secretary, who would in turn email them to the Chairman and he would read them out. At no point were clubs allowed to speak. I made a number of requests to speak, and they were all refused.

So faced with the news of this imposed suspension of football, our own league body refused clubs the opportunity to discuss this at our own Members General Meeting. For the record, we have been represented at every league meeting held, and this censured format has never been used before. I very much doubt that I need to say much more on this as many football club supporters will be outraged at hearing this, but sadly not surprised. Fans own our game, they are the biggest stakeholders in our clubs. Silencing the club voices who are in place to represent fans, in arguably the worst crisis Scottish football has faced, is an affront to supporters everywhere.

We will continue to raise concerns on this matter, just as we will do everything in our control to work towards getting our game back. Football fans deserve better than this from our league bodies – change is needed, reform must be put on the agenda at some point soon. We will campaign for change and we hope that other clubs and supporter groups will too.





For those who want a wee vent/rant - Stenhousemuir backed our calls for an independent inquiry last season.
 
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CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE​


Unfortunately this update is with regards to a new shutdown for our football club

As most will be aware, all football below the Scottish Championship level has been suspended by the Scottish FA Joint Response Group (JRG). This includes the Stenhousemuir men’s first team and all other teams within the structures that flow underneath. The younger age groups in our community programme are still able to train, and the club will remain in contact with parents to make them aware of any changing arrangements.

News of the suspension is disappointing. There is no evidence to suggest that football clubs are responsible for spreading the virus between clubs or into other communities. The positive test rate amongst players has been no greater than the rest of society. If there was evidence to suggest that football clubs were a source of wider virus spread then of course action would need to be taken, but there isn’t.

Whilst this decision is disappointing, we will do all we can to keep the players ready for a resumption of football when we are allowed to do so once again. The suspension places further strain on our club, will limit the ability of our staff to carry out their duties, and it has significant potential to interrupt our ability to do business in the transfer window.

As many people will have heard, we found out about the suspension from the Scottish FA/SPFL when we were sent a copy of a press release addressed to the media. There had been no consultation with clubs, no warning and no support offered. We find this deeply disappointing.

As has also now been widely reported, there was a scheduled SPFL General Meeting of Members held on Wednesday 13th January where clubs expected to be able to discuss this critical development. To clarify the timeline, this meeting was just 48 hours after the decision to suspend clubs was announced in the media. I am bitterly disappointed to confirm the reports in the press that the SPFL refused to allow any discussion between clubs on this topic, and any other issues in that meeting. Club representatives had their microphones muted and the only communication accepted was where clubs could email questions to the secretary, who would in turn email them to the Chairman and he would read them out. At no point were clubs allowed to speak. I made a number of requests to speak, and they were all refused.

So faced with the news of this imposed suspension of football, our own league body refused clubs the opportunity to discuss this at our own Members General Meeting. For the record, we have been represented at every league meeting held, and this censured format has never been used before. I very much doubt that I need to say much more on this as many football club supporters will be outraged at hearing this, but sadly not surprised. Fans own our game, they are the biggest stakeholders in our clubs. Silencing the club voices who are in place to represent fans, in arguably the worst crisis Scottish football has faced, is an affront to supporters everywhere.

We will continue to raise concerns on this matter, just as we will do everything in our control to work towards getting our game back. Football fans deserve better than this from our league bodies – change is needed, reform must be put on the agenda at some point soon. We will campaign for change and we hope that other clubs and supporter groups will too.


Absolutely disgraceful way to treat member clubs, refusing them the right to speak.
 
Club representatives had their microphones muted and the only communication accepted was where clubs could email questions to the secretary, who would in turn email them to the Chairman and he would read them out. At no point were clubs allowed to speak. I made a number of requests to speak, and they were all refused.

Yet the one last year they allowed time for a rousing speech from peter the pie eater.
 
Not allowing questions, SPFL learning from their masters - sweep sweep.

Stenhousemuir and the others have been treated horribly although the ones who voted against an investigation this summer get no sympathy.
 
I am bitterly disappointed to confirm the reports in the press that the SPFL refused to allow any discussion between clubs on this topic, and any other issues in that meeting. Club representatives had their microphones muted and the only communication accepted was where clubs could email questions to the secretary, who would in turn email them to the Chairman and he would read them out. At no point were clubs allowed to speak. I made a number of requests to speak, and they were all refused.

I thought the clubs were the SPFL
 
It sounds like this mute tactic was used to avoid any questions about, or comparisons to Celtic in Dubai.
It's ridiculous how reckless Celtic have been about Covid. They may well be the only club in Scotland where actual evidence does show they have brought Covid into communities.
 
As damning as that is, it doesn’t hold much weight when it’s only Stenhousemuir/Falkirk that are speaking out

The only way you’ll see the SPFL executive under real pressure is when 10/15 clubs speak out, sharing the same viewpoint
 
Not allowing them to speak and they thought teams would think that is acceptable when you are telling them they are not allowed to play.

Doncaster et al must go.
 
Ah the real SPFL starting to expose itself.

Proxy administrations always become dictatorial when they are about to be found out or don't want to answer difficult questions about why they don't seem to be working for the people they are supposed to be.

When will the rest of Scottish football open their fn eyes and see it's not us that's the enemy, and help rid of us this sham?
 
What a joke and you've got to feel for (some) of the lower league teams here.

They actually muted the microphones to avoid getting asked difficult questions they would be unable to answer!! What an utter shower of corrupt pricks the SPFL are. And what's the betting that even if clubs did comply with the ridiculous request to only email questions, the more controversial ones would get stuck behind that pesky Dundee firewall and never see the light of day?

Dungcaster and co may have made a fatal flaw here though in underestimating the sheer anger and feeling of injustice that this has understandably provoked in the lower league clubs. I would imagine the majority of them would now be in favour of forcing a change in the corridors of power and it could well be the case that if another vote was held today to determine whether they should be independently investigated, the numbers would be there to get it passed.

It appears that ra SPFL are fast running out of friends here and they could be more vulnerable now than ever before. Here's hoping that top to bottom change might not be too far away and the present incumbents get forced out, kicking and screaming all the way.
 
Seems inevitable now that there will be changes at executive level in the SPFL this summer and not before time.

Well that might not be true.

Untill we see clubs who backed the sfa board turn on them then itll be no change.

The 2 clubs who have spoken out recently are two clubs who backed our call for change.
 
This is actually good news, they are so disconnected from reality that they believe they can do whatever they like and get away with it, emboldened by the events of last April. The vote of no confidence will come and be backed I believe. More statements would be good and an attitude of I told you so from us won’t help them be forthcoming, we should be supportive of any chairman who has finally seen the penny drop!
 
I really don't think mutiny is what we need right now. Let the Stevie G express roll into the 55 station then we fan talk SPFL overhaul
 
The more pressure from clubs will help put pressure to call a vote of no confidence on the corrupt scum bastards it’s the only way for change.
 
Forgetting all the other noise for a moment, it’s an absolutely outrageous way to run any sort of meeting. This is a multimillion pound national business and yet these cunts are getting away with treating it like the local boolin’ club.

FFS, surely time for a no confidence vote.
 
The governance of Scottish football is not fit for purpose.
Got to feel sorry for teams like Stenhousemuir others not so much.
 
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