Scottish Championship, League One and League Two seasons end after Dundee vote for SPFL resolution

Dundee have voted yes to an SPFL resolution, meaning the Scottish Championship, League One and League Two will finish for the season.

Dundee United have been declared champions of the Ladbrokes Championship, Raith Rovers are champions of Ladbrokes League 1, and Cove Rangers have been crowned champions of Ladbrokes League 2.

Those three sides will all be promoted, while Partick Thistle will be relegated from the Championship and Stranraer are demoted from League One.

The SPFL will launch a task force to consider the possibility of expanding the Premiership for the 2020/21 season.

Championship club Dundee ended up with the deciding vote on the plan – after their original electronic vote did not reach the SPFL – and having originally intended to vote against, they have now voted in favour meaning the directors’ written resolution has passed.

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “Prior to this positive result, we were unable to make the vital end-of-season payments, which will provide a lifeline to so many clubs in the lower divisions.

“From our detailed discussions with clubs, many were facing an enormous cash-flow crisis. We have moved as quickly as possible to try to resolve this unprecedented situation.

“We will now be working as quickly as we can to get the end-of-season payments to members in the three lower divisions by the end of this week.”

The SPFL said: “The directors’ written resolution ending season 2019/20 in the Ladbrokes Championship, Ladbrokes League One and Ladbrokes League Two, has been passed with agreement by 81 per cent of all members.”

And SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan said: “With the turmoil and uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, there was always going to be a highly-charged and passionate debate about how we secure the future of Scottish football.

“It is no exaggeration to say that this was an existential matter for Scottish clubs, with many of them telling us they were at real risk of going under unless the situation was resolved very quickly, so I’m pleased that the game has moved decisively.

“Whilst more than 80 per cent of clubs agreed with the directors’ written resolution, it’s clear that others were strongly opposed.

“There has been talk of voiding the season, making emergency loans and so on, but what has been agreed today is not just the best way forward, it was the only realistic way forward.

“I now call on all 42 clubs to move forward in a constructive and positive way.”

But League One bottom club Stranraer, one of two sides along with Partick Thistle to have their relegation confirmed as a result of the decision, described it as “grossly unfair”.

In a statement, the club said: “At this unprecedented time we felt unanimously as a committee that no football club, Stranraer FC or any other, should be at a detriment due to this horrendous situation.

“It is grossly unfair that any club should be relegated from their respective league whilst a quarter of the season still remains.

“We strongly felt that, at this time more than any other, Scottish football should demonstrate the absolute philosophy of real ‘sporting integrity’ in order to ensure a collective responsibility to all member clubs.”

Hearts owner Ann Budge and her Hamilton counterpart Les Gray will now lead a task force to look into the possibility of expanding the Scottish Premiership for next season.

The most likely option would be an expansion to 14 teams, ensuring Hearts avoided relegation, with Dundee United and Inverness Caledonian Thistle promoted.

A potential knock-on effect of the expansion – which would require an 11-1 vote in favour among Premiership clubs – could be the promotion of the respective Highland and Lowland League champions, Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts, into League Two.

‘Rancour, debate… it’s just the end of the beginning’

Analysis from Sky Sports News’ Luke Shanley, speaking on The Football Show:

A resolution was put to the clubs last Wednesday. It was a 28-day motion but they wanted an answer by Friday to end the leagues – the Championship, League 1 and League 2 – immediately, on a point-per-game basis and give the SPFL board the power to end the Premiership at a later date.

But, as always in Scotland, it’s never easy. Some were against this motion – nothing wrong with that – but it came down to Dundee’s vote. The vote results were released on Friday, despite all the clubs not having voted. Then we realised that Dundee held the Scottish football – certainly in the short-term – in its power.

They had voted no but changed their mind. The vote hadn’t reached the league, they said they wanted time to think about it and it wasn’t until 5pm on Wednesday they’d decided to vote yes, meaning the motion was carried, the lower leagues are finished and the SPFL board have the power to end the Premiership at a later date.

We’ll find out if they could potentially play games behind closed doors in due course. The SPFL want the option to see if any football could start again. UEFA are meeting later this month so they’re trying to give themselves breathing space at a very difficult time, health-wise. The board have crucially said they’ll consult with all 12 Premiership clubs.

But there’s a lot of rancour and debate because of this yes/no vote and Dundee changing their mind.

Could there be a further challenge over promotion and relegation? Potentially. Anyone doing so will have to get a move on because now the resolution has passed, the SPFL want to pay the monies to the lower-league clubs; that was a big part of this because many clubs need the cash and are hand-to-mouth. We’ll wait to see if there’s any challenges in the next day or two.

One thing to come out of this is that the SPFL have said they will now start to look at potentially restructuring the Scottish Premiership. They might expand it – that might mean no relegation.

It’s just the end of the beginning. There’s plenty more fallout to come.

(c) Sky Sports 2020: Scottish Championship, League One and League Two seasons end after Dundee vote for SPFL resolution