The SFA have given in to two of the four AGM proposals put forward by the SPFL with a new amended resolution set to be added at next month’s AGM.
After leaking details of the ‘power grab’ and wheeling out the dinosaur with a blazer George Peat to defend themselves the SFA have given up ground in three areas with the trail going back to the summer of 2012 when somersaults were performed for the benefit of Charles Green and friends.
With Sevco facing administration less than two years on from being given a helping hand engineered by Campbell Ogilvie it seems that lessons have been learned by the SPFL to ensure that there is no repeat.
Of the two resolutions approved one is that candidates to be office bearers at the SFA now only need to have served one year on a recognised football committee rather than four. There was widespread anger among football fans last summer when Ogilvie was unopposed as president of the SFA but the four year rule effectively ruled out a challenge to the former Rangers (IL) and Hearts director.
The SPFL will also be given a second representative of the PGB (Professional Game Board) of the SFA which strengthens the position of the member clubs against the representatives of the amateur, schools and churches associations who still hang on to blazers.
While the SFA will continue to govern the £12m youth development budget a new resolution will be drafted concerning the admission of new clubs to SFA membership which should prevent a repeat of the Sevco fiasco rubber-stamped by Ogilvie, Stewart Regan and Neil Doncaster.
The SPFL wanted the existing member clubs to be given sole responsibility for assessing any such applications, rather than being at the discretion of the SFA board. After yesterday’s meeting, a new resolution will now be drawn up ahead of the AGM which specifies than any prospective new member must be fully licensed under SFA rules.
Crucially the new resolution will be based around SFA/SPFL membership being granted to clubs complying with UEFA licencing requirements- not secretive five way agreements.
According to a statement from the SFA: “The resolution on the issue of new members will be withdrawn. There will be a new resolution, which will deal with the appointment of new full members such that they will need to be licensed clubs.
By dropping the youth development proposal and redrafting the resolution on new members the SPFL have allowed the SFA to feel that a compromise has been reached while the SPFL are getting their main resolutions through.
By marginalising the influence of Ogilvie and friends a new dynamic is emerging in the game with clubs realising that they can survive largely off their own backs and make the game responsive to their needs rather than tailored towards vested interests of the old guard.
For detailed analysis of these resolutions the agenda setting Scottish Football Monitor provides supporters with an ideal debating ground with posters such as Auldheid and broganrogantrevinoandhogan demonstrating a proper grasp of the issue while Red Lichtie reminds readers that Scottish football needs a strong Arbroath.
There appears to be no movement at either the SFA or SPFL to prevent a club in administration from gaining promotion thanks to financial mismanagement.
