Some people within the SFA might see Leeann Dempster as the solution to their problems but everyone inside football over the last decade is tainted by their silence and association.
Dempster was the chief executive at Motherwell from 2009 to 2014 while the SFA and SPL sat back allowing the Rangers (IL) crisis to develop. Applying regulations and licence rules could have stopped the drama at source, saving us all from ‘Armageddon’.
While the current Hibs chief executive couldn’t be expected to blow the whistle at the time or even ask detailed questions the evidence that has emerged through the Craig Whyte trial and Charlotte Fakes accounts demand answers.
Not only have Hibs sat quietly on the sidelines- they supported Stewart Regan’s time to move on stance rather than rake over old coals.
No matter how much those inside Hampden want to move on a large body of supporters are wanting answers to watching a crooked game for over a decade.
The evidence is overwhelming, trust won’t be restored until a full enquiry is held, until the guilty are drummed out of the game and those that sat on their hands are removed.
Whether she likes it or not Dempster is guilty by association, as in Scottish Football Association.
Back in September Regan was under pressure as some documents were leaked relating to their role in granting Rangers (IL) a licence to play in UEFA competition for season 2011/12.
For those that want to move on a full review would have resolved that problem but Regan didn’t see any reason to rake over old coals.
The silence of clubs other than Celtic was telling.
Staying silent was bad but Hibs went the extra mile- they published a statement telling fans that they should forget a decade of cheating and move on with the same people makin decisions.
Hibs announced: “Your Board believes our game faces a choice. We either continue to spend significant sums of money and huge reserves of time and energy to challenge already lengthy and detailed legal advice. Or, we can focus on doing all we can to invest in the future of our Club and the wider game to improve our sport, and ensure there can be no repeat of the issues raised
“We prefer the latter option – working to ensure that in the future our game is fairer and more open, and has the potential to secure greater commercial income to fund further improvement for the longer term.
“Scottish football is finally emerging from a period of significant turbulence, which has damaged the sport, into a much more exciting future. While we know this is a divisive issue that will never be resolved to the satisfaction of all supporters, we cannot allow it to divert us from the future or to keep us mired in the past.
“It is the view of your Board that we should focus 100% on a brighter future for Hibernian, and for the game. All of our energy will be used trying to bring future success to our own club, and to working together to create a future that all of our supporters can be proud of, on and off the pitch.”
Hibs director Rod Petrie has been a loyal SFA committee man throughout the Regan years, he was a colleague of Campbell Ogilivie.
Petrie is expected to succeed Alan McRae as the next SFA president given a ticket for worldwide junkets.
Just because Dempster isn’t in the old boys network doesn’t mean that she is in any way acceptable as Chief Executive of the SFA. Her silence on registration breaches makes her as suited to become chief executive as Dave King, Paul Murray and Andrew Dickson.
