Hearts legend Gary Mackay insists fans are ready to dig deep to fund a legal fight if the club decide to take such a route.
It comes after Ann Budge had threatened action at the start of the shutdown and Mackay said: “If it comes to it, I know within the Hearts contingent there will be support from the fans for legal cases.
“They want to make money available for a court case if that is the case.”
Budge branded top-flight rivals shameful for relegating cash-stricken clubs and claimed they ditched reconstruction plans for fear of jeopardising next season’s bumper Sky TV deal.
The Hearts owner is assessing her next move to “formally challenge” the decision after her club were pushed closer to the drop with her only hope now the unlikely scenario of completing the season.
Jambos are facing relegation for the second time in six years after half-a-dozen top-flight clubs – including bitter rivals Hibs – decided to abandon a league shake-up to incorporate an expanded Premiership.
St Mirren, St Johnstone, Ross County, Dundee United and Aberdeen were also against a revamp due to Covid-19, with Hamilton, Motherwell and Hearts for it. The remaining clubs offered no opinion.
Budge was co-chair of the reconstruction task force and said an opportunity had been missed – as well as accusing those who vetoed it of ignoring the players after a PFA Scotland survey showed 76 per cent had backed a change to the current set-up.
But ultimately she said money talks with the new, five-year £160million broadcasting deal the main concern for worried clubs.
And she fears Hearts as well as fellow relegated outfits Partick Thistle and Stranraer could now pay the price.
Budge said: “To pour more financial hardship on specific clubs, given what we are all going through both now and for the foreseeable future, is both outrageous and shameful.
“We should be standing together to help clubs to survive and to save jobs. This decision simply flies in the face of all of this.
“Fundamentally the main reason clubs are not prepared to consider a restructure is because of the Sky contract.
“It is well known Sky would have to agree to a restructure. Without any discussion with Sky, there is a totally incomprehensible assumption that we would be unable to navigate successfully through any such negotiation.
“What does that say about the strength or otherwise of our ‘partnership’? Perhaps more tellingly, what does it say about the confidence our clubs have in the ability of
the SPFL to negotiate?
“The message is clear. This could be difficult so let’s not bother trying. It’s too risky! Fear has played a part here. Clubs are worried.
“They do not want to do anything that might in any way impact a major income stream. The value of the Sky contract is being held out as being under major threat if any changes to the league
are made.”
.png?w=600)
