Bribery, grubby backroom deals- SPFL chairman hits out at Celtic decision

Celtic have been accused of being involved in a bribe to bring around league reconstruction. 

On Monday the chairman of the Lowland League cast the deciding vote in favour of admitting three guest teams after the members were split 8 v 8. 

Each team will pay £40,000 to play in next season’s 38 match programme with Lowland League clubs given the incentive of a review to increase access to the senior ranks of the SPFL. 

Cove Rangers, Kelty Hearts and Edinburgh City have cut through the deadwood in League Two with East Stirling, Berwick Rangers and Brechin City dropping out of the SPFL after years of treading water. 

Stenhousemuir chairman Iain McMenemy has a background in Communications and appears to be a spokesman for part-time clubs in the lower divisions of the SPFL. 

Speaking to the Daily Mail about the deal for Lowland League guest teams, McMenemy said: 

Those at the negotiating table have offered to look at relegating more League Two clubs from the SPFL in order to bribe the Lowland League into accepting Premiership colt teams into their league next season. 

The manner in which they have gone about this is just not acceptable. Clubs in Leagues One and Two are not here as bargaining chips for Premiership clubs and our fate won’t be decided in grubby backroom deals behind our backs. 

I can tell you now that reconstruction will not happen under these circumstances. I feel sorry for the Lowland League clubs who have been deceived into thinking this was likely. 

Celtic will field an u-20 side in the Lowland League which will have to include seven players eligible to play for Scotland.