Regan justifies leaked email with Sevco First Division plan
The email came to light days before SFL clubs were to vote on accepting Sevco’s membership application and whether they should be promoted into the First Division.
Despite Regan’s careful planning and warnings of a slow lingering death for Scottish football his plan was rejected by 25 votes to 5.
Several SFL chairmen called for a vote of no confidence in the SFL chief executive as a supporter led backlash ensured Regan’s plan was a non-runner.
Defending the deal and his role in it Regan said: “I have been vilified for trying to be a marriage broker or a peace keeper. Let me take you through the timeline from when we put the proposal together.
“On June 18, we had a presentation in the boardroom featuring all the key parties — the SFA, SFL, SPL and the lawyers.
“That moved on to a conference call on June 22 which was summarised by myself in a set of notes which went out on June 23.
“There was nothing in that email which was secret in any way. The fact it became a leaked email was quite surprising, because there was nothing in there the governing bodies didn’t know about.
“Rangers were fully aware of the discussions. Charles Green and Ally McCoist sat in the boardroom and agreed the plan for Rangers to be part of the First Division.
“It was presented as being in the best interests of the game, from both a financial and a sporting sanctions perspective.
“Therefore, it was nothing that people around the table felt was negative, emotional or should not have been discussed.
“As the governing body, we were there to try and put a plan together for the best interests of the game and that’s what we were doing.”
Regan added: “In the dialogue which ensued there were many influential factors. Club chairmen came under pressure from their fans.
“There was a desire to sell season tickets and there was a concern Rangers had to be dealt with in a way that recognised the seriousness of some of the challenges which had gone before.
“All we ever tried to do was act in the best interests of the game, but the other clubs decided otherwise.
“Comments have been made since, but we’ve got to rise above that and do what we think is right.”
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