Doncaster’s Dens Park delay puts post-split fixtures in jeopardy
Soccer Football - Scottish Cup Final - Celtic vs Motherwell - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Britain - May 19, 2018 Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell (2nd L) and Independent non-executive director Dermot Desmond (C) in the stand Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
The SPFL are ready to force Dundee into plying matches away from Dens Park s they try to complete 33 Premiership rounds of fixtures ahead of the split on April 13.
Four matches have been postponed due to waterlogging at Dens Park so far this season with two matches still to be played, on Saturday at home to Motherwell then on April 10 when Philippe Clement’s side are due to visit.
The risk of having to switch a match to another stadium could have been avoided had the match with Sevco been scheduled for last night but Neil Doncaster didn’t want to interrupt preparations for Sunday’s match against Celtic.
Heavy rain in Tayside this week has set off alarm bells with an early decision expected for Saturday’s match at home to Motherwell.
Using the first available date, Wednesday April 3 for the Sevco fixture seemed the logical choice but pandering to the needs of the 2012 Tribute Act could now result in the embarrassment of top flight fixtures being played at neutral venues.
The Sun reports:
The final round of Premiership games are played on Saturday April 13, after which the SPFL need to know the make-up of the top six and bottom six so they can work on the fixture list.
With the title race likely to go down to the wire and clubs still involved in a relegation battle, everyone wants clarity as soon as possible.
Broadcast partners SKY also need to know the schedule so they can plan their telly coverage for the remainder of the campaign.
Dundee chiefs have been told to formulate a worst case scenario plan for Saturday should the weather defeat them once again.
City rivals Dundee United are away from home against Queens Park, St Johnstone visit Hibs and Arbroath are up in Inverness so there are three local alternatives potentially available. Another alternative could be to play at Hampden.
Doncaster has been CEO of the SPL/SPFL since 2020 without a single vote on No Confidence, recently he has a clause inserted in his contract that entitled him to two years salary if he is ever replaced with his current deal believed to be worth around £400,000 a year.
In 2012 he was the driving force behind the Five Way Agreement, sending out the final draft at 21.01.21 on Thursday July 26, if no club objected the deal for Charles Green’s Tribute Act came into being at 10am the next morning.