10000Hours Statement On Recent Events

[Stuart Dickson]

I agree that the SPL has been a major disaster but I cannot figure out how St Mirren can be responsible for its foundation. St Mirren were in the first division at that time and, as I recall, the SPL was formed as a breakaway organisation by the clubs of the Scottish Premier Division.

No to gain affiliate membership of the SFA it needed sufficient votes to carry it through. St Mirren and Raith Rovers were the two non SPL clubs who voted in favour of the inception of the SPL.

From the ScotPrem website.

On December 9, 1997, the League Management Committee of the SFL agreed to endorse a decision taken the previous month by a Special General Meeting, which saw votes cast by all 40 Scottish senior clubs.

[smcc]

So 12 out of 40 clubs voted to allow the SPL to break away?

[TsuMirren]

Sponsors and TV companies? Aye. They don't need Scottish Football and they don't need St Mirren.

As I've said look what happened to UK Wrestling when Shirley Crabtree finally admitted that bouts were fixed. Sure we all thought there was pantomime to the whole thing, but the impression that wrestlers were pissing themselves laughing at their fans whilst cashing in on everyone's gullibility left them without a following in the UK and without a TV deal. Scottish Football is at a precipice - if I was a business I wouldn't want to be anywhere near the corrupt self interested bodies that are running the game.

Close enough Stuart, but it was Jackie Pallo who revealed they were fixed and ironically enough Joint Promotions turned down a deal with SKY just before ITV turned out the lights. I wonder if SKY will remember the SPL ran to Setanta then crawled back. You can't blame SKY, but I've no doubt they fund lesser sports for more. Sadly, those representing the SPL in any talks with SKY couldn't sell old people a coffin.