Dundee United have attacked the SFA over the nameless statement they issued justifying the ticket split for their Scottish Cup semi-final with Sevco at Ibrox.
The SPFL Premiership giants have been given an initial allocation of 11,000 tickets based on previous semi-finals arrangements. Not content with handing Sevco home advantage for the match the SFA are giving the newcomers 70% of the tickets and treating the match as their home fixture rather than a neutral venue.
Why the SFA are bending over backwards is anyone’s guess with the Ibrox club refusing to take any tickets for last season’s Scottish Cup tie at Tannadice to endorse the paranoia of their supporters that United were bizarrely behind the liquidation of the old club in 2012.
Striking back at the SFA statement last night United claimed: “Dundee United suggests there appears to be some confusion in this incomplete account, which certainly does not reflect the position of the Club.
“The Scottish FA informed that the initial allocation of the Govan West corner was made on the basis that only the lower section of the Broomloan Road Stand would be allocated. Our official requested to include the whole of the Broomloan Road Stand in the initial allocation, together with the additional option of the Govan West corner, plus further extra sections of the Govan Stand as necessary. This remains our position and we are happy to reiterate it now.
“Our position on the need for a neutral venue remains the same also. We still hope that the Scottish FA will revisit this as there is still time to do so. However, should that not be the case, we urge as many United supporters as possible to attend the tie and get behind the team and counter the lack of neutrality which, amongst other things, exaggerates any ticketing imbalance. This imbalance would not be such a factor at a genuinely neutral venue.”
Speaking to hardcome Sevcovite Kenny McIntyre on Radio Scotland last night Tannadice chairman Stephen Thompson added: “The SFA statement is being economical with the truth. That is not what happened at the meeting.
“I also think the tone of the statement is shocking towards a member club when all we have asked is for fairness. “It is an aggressive statement. Who do they think they’re talking to? They are responsible to the member clubs but it appears they can’t be questioned.”
The nameless SFA statement would presumably have been approved by chief executive Stewart Regan, perhaps in this new found era of openness Regan will publish the secretive five way agreement that attempted to parachute Sevco into the top division of the Scottish game.
Perhaps Regan might come out and announce if the SFA will forward Sevco’s name to UEFA for participation in the Europa League next season. Perhaps Regan will justify the ticket allocation given to Sevco for the semi-final?
In the last five semi-final’s that Rangers In Liquidation took part in there was an average attendance of 26,274- not all of them Rangers fans.
On 5th February 2012 with rumours rife that Rangers were about to go into liquidation just 17,822 went to Ibrox to see Ally McCoist’s all-stars lose 2-0 to Dundee United in a fourth round tie with that match killing off a valuable revenue stream after similar early exits in the Champions League, Europa League and League Cup.
Hopefully United won’t let the matter rest and will be given the backing of other clubs and force Regan and his backslapping cronies into justifying their actions or resigning at the SFA AGM in May.
United chairman Thompson reaffirmed his decision to shun the Ibrox directors box in favour of sitting with his family among the United support.
Jackie McNamara will appear before the SFA on a misconduct charge two days before the Ibrox semi-final for an incident that occurred against St Johnstone on March 12.
William Hill sponsor the SFA Scottish Cup.
SFA = Sleekit Friends of Ally