Hearts and Partick Thistle provoked a furious backlash after demanding a £10million relegation pay-off from the rest of Scotland’s clubs – or they’ll legally block the start of next season.
Record Sport understands some of the country’s leading clubs are so outraged by the enormity of the compensation claim they would consider backing any call for the two clubs to be expelled entirely from the senior league set-up.
We told this week how the Tynecastle club formed an M8 alliance with the Firhill outfit to drag the game into the courts over their demotions as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown.
And they made their move on Wednesday by going to the Court of Session to start proceedings – while threatening to hit the Premiership with an interdict that would prevent the season opening on August 1.
A legal letter was also sent to SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster in which they demanded unless all promotion and relegation from season 2019-20 be reversed Hearts should be weighed in with an £8m parachute with Thistle given a further £2m.
We can also reveal lawyers letters were sent out to clubs all over the country including three who won promotion last season – Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove – outlining potential legal action.
One senior top-flight chief executive said last night: “The £10m claim from Hearts and Thistle is outrageous. If they were to be awarded that sum then there are a number of Premier League clubs who would risk going under.
“At a time when Scottish football is on its knees as a result of the pandemic they are effectively threatening to bury it.”
Another chairman added: “I’m not sure what the rule book says about expelling member clubs and I hope it wouldn’t get to that stage but it’s no wonder clubs are angry enough to be talking of the possibility.”
One CEO from the Championship added: “They are holding a gun to the head of Scottish football. Perhaps one of us may have to suggest to Doncaster they are kicked out of the league and Kelty Hearts and Brora are brought in.”
But Hearts believe they are fighting for justice. A source said: “An interdict is the last resort but nothing has been taken off the table.
“It could be launched to prevent the start of the new league season or even freeze the sums that could fall due from the SPFL if court action is successful. It would cause devastation but don’t pin the blame on Hearts and Thistle.
“They bent over backwards to work with others and were rejected.”
It’s understood the legal case is being led by David Thomson QC, who represented the Jags in an unsuccessful court bid against the SPL in 2004. He failed to persuade Lord Brodie to award an interdict that would’ve prevented their relegation.
In a joint statement Hearts and Thistle said they’d lodged a petition with the Court of Session “to challenge the unfair and unjust decision of the SPFL” and had been left with “no other option”.
It added: “Our petition does not seek to set aside or unravel fee payments made to clubs, nor declaration of champions, or nomination of clubs who will participate in European competition.
“Instead, the petition primarily seeks to reduce the unfair resolution insofar as it changed the SPFL’s rules on promotion and relegation. If that remedy is not granted by the Court we seek, the alternative awards of compensation ...”
They have not asked the Court to grant an interim interdict that would prevent the season’s start on August 1 but “reserve our right to do so”.
The Court granted a motion to reduce the period within which the SPFL must answer to seven days. And an SPFL spokesman said: “We are studying this carefully, along with our legal advisers”.
