Nacho Novo
Well-Known Member
On 11 July 2017, the Scottish Professional Football League appointed 68-year old media executive Murdoch MacLennan as its new Chairman.
Murdoch MacLennan in the Private Eye Magazine on Rangers - "Ah cannae stand the bastards." And refused to take an executive box at Ibrox Stadium as Managing Director of The Daily Record in the 90's.
SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster - "Murdoch MacLennan was the board's unanimous choice for the non-executive chairman role. He demonstrated a real passion for the role and a clear insight into the opportunities and challenges we will face in the years ahead."
There was criticism that MacLennan is not impartial in his role with the SPFL considering the fact that the Independent News & Media (INM)'s majority shareholder is Celtic's majority shareholder Dermot Desmond. One of Desmond's closest associates and fellow Celtic fan Denis O'Brien is also an INM shareholder. MacLennan also held an executive box at Celtic Park. The SPFL refused to investigate the connection and possible conflict of interest between MacLennan, Celtic and the SPFL.
MacLennan also denied handing out sweeteners to Dundee in between their 'no' and 'yes' votes and defended the decision to publish interim results which confirmed a Championship club had a casting vote, claiming the league would have been accused of unwarranted secrecy if it had withheld them after the time clubs were asked to vote by. On the subject of Dundee's vote, which an independent review confirmed went missing in the SPFL's email system, he stated, "There was little if anything we could have done differently. The situation was not our making and Dundee FC are fully entitled to have a change of heart from reject to accept."
In a lengthy open letter, MacLennan wrote: "If Rangers or any other club genuinely believes that it has been bullied by any member of the SPFL team, it has a duty to report that to me, as chairman of the board of the SPFL. I will then investigate any such allegations fully and thoroughly. In the absence of any such report, those alleging 'bullying and coercion' risk bringing the game into disrepute and sowing further unnecessary division."
Rangers previously alleged clubs had been 'bullied', claimed they had 'alarming' evidence and called for SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster and legal advisor Rod McKenzie to be suspended.
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How is this man still in a job for those first comments about Rangers then refusing to even deny he said that in an interview, nevermind his clear conflicts of interest?! Is it any wonder Rangers fans are so cautious about who is running Scottish Football after what happened to us in 2012?
Murdoch MacLennan, Chairman of the SPFL
Neil Doncaster, Chief Executive of the SPFL and on the Professional Game Board of the Scottish FA
Peter Lawwell, Chief Executive of Celtic FC, of the Scottish FA as a Board Member, of the Scottish FA Professional Game Board, SPFL Scottish Premiership Board Member, European Club Association board at UEFA on the Professional Football Strategy Council (PFSC) and on the UEFA Club Competitions Committee
Rod Petrie, Scottish FA President and Chairman of the Scottish FA Non-Professional Game Board
Ian Maxwell, Chief Executive of the Scottish FA
Michael Mulraney, Chairman of Alloa, Vice President and Chairman of the Non-Professional Game Board of the Scottish FA.
All of which except MacLennan make up part of the Main Board of Scottish FA Office Bearers running the game.
Murdoch MacLennan in the Private Eye Magazine on Rangers - "Ah cannae stand the bastards." And refused to take an executive box at Ibrox Stadium as Managing Director of The Daily Record in the 90's.
SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster - "Murdoch MacLennan was the board's unanimous choice for the non-executive chairman role. He demonstrated a real passion for the role and a clear insight into the opportunities and challenges we will face in the years ahead."
There was criticism that MacLennan is not impartial in his role with the SPFL considering the fact that the Independent News & Media (INM)'s majority shareholder is Celtic's majority shareholder Dermot Desmond. One of Desmond's closest associates and fellow Celtic fan Denis O'Brien is also an INM shareholder. MacLennan also held an executive box at Celtic Park. The SPFL refused to investigate the connection and possible conflict of interest between MacLennan, Celtic and the SPFL.
MacLennan also denied handing out sweeteners to Dundee in between their 'no' and 'yes' votes and defended the decision to publish interim results which confirmed a Championship club had a casting vote, claiming the league would have been accused of unwarranted secrecy if it had withheld them after the time clubs were asked to vote by. On the subject of Dundee's vote, which an independent review confirmed went missing in the SPFL's email system, he stated, "There was little if anything we could have done differently. The situation was not our making and Dundee FC are fully entitled to have a change of heart from reject to accept."
In a lengthy open letter, MacLennan wrote: "If Rangers or any other club genuinely believes that it has been bullied by any member of the SPFL team, it has a duty to report that to me, as chairman of the board of the SPFL. I will then investigate any such allegations fully and thoroughly. In the absence of any such report, those alleging 'bullying and coercion' risk bringing the game into disrepute and sowing further unnecessary division."
Rangers previously alleged clubs had been 'bullied', claimed they had 'alarming' evidence and called for SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster and legal advisor Rod McKenzie to be suspended.
-
How is this man still in a job for those first comments about Rangers then refusing to even deny he said that in an interview, nevermind his clear conflicts of interest?! Is it any wonder Rangers fans are so cautious about who is running Scottish Football after what happened to us in 2012?
Murdoch MacLennan, Chairman of the SPFL
Neil Doncaster, Chief Executive of the SPFL and on the Professional Game Board of the Scottish FA
Peter Lawwell, Chief Executive of Celtic FC, of the Scottish FA as a Board Member, of the Scottish FA Professional Game Board, SPFL Scottish Premiership Board Member, European Club Association board at UEFA on the Professional Football Strategy Council (PFSC) and on the UEFA Club Competitions Committee
Rod Petrie, Scottish FA President and Chairman of the Scottish FA Non-Professional Game Board
Ian Maxwell, Chief Executive of the Scottish FA
Michael Mulraney, Chairman of Alloa, Vice President and Chairman of the Non-Professional Game Board of the Scottish FA.
All of which except MacLennan make up part of the Main Board of Scottish FA Office Bearers running the game.