kuiper 0 Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 SBS Australia: Livingston refuse to play 8 August 2009 | 07:30 - PA Sport The start of the Scottish Football League has been thrown into chaos after Livingston refused to play this weekend's Irn-Bru Third Division fixture against East Stirlingshire. The SFL relegated debt-ridden Livi from the First Division in midweek for breaching the league's insolvency rules. The club have now decided to appeal that sanction and insist they will not play a Third Division fixture until their case is heard. The appeal was lodged by interim manager Donald McGruther, who has been running Livi for the past fortnight. McGruther, of administrators Mazars, was appointed by the Court of Session in Edinburgh after West Lothian Council took legal action to reclaim a £330,000 ($A657,792) debt. McGruther has been frantically attempting to negotiate the sale of the club to a consortium led by former Cowdenbeath owner Gordon McDougall, ex-Dumbarton chairman Neil Rankine and ex-Livi director Ged Nixon. A statement on the Livi's official website, www.livingstonfc.co.uk, McDougall said: "We, the consortium, understand that the appeal submitted from the interim manager, Donald McGruther, has now been received and acknowledged by the Scottish Football League. "Accordingly, Livingston Football Club remains a First Division football club at this stage and therefore is unwilling to fulfil a fixture in the Third Division. "Before the appeal was lodged, Livingston Football Club informed SFL chief executive David Longmuir that they were able to fulfil the First Division fixture at Ross County on Saturday 8 August." A separate statement from the consortium added: "From the consortium's perspective, we regret the need to take this step and the implications it could have on football people throughout Scotland tomorrow, but we feel strongly that this action is entirely justified. "Additionally, the consortium are delighted to announce that we have today made substantial progress on finalising the purchase of the club and will be working over the weekend and hope to be in a position in the next few days to conclude the purchase." Livi's announcement was the latest twist in what has become an embarrassing saga that is surely unprecedented in the history of Scottish football. An appeal was expected to see the postponement of Livingston's opening fixture, as well as those involving Airdrie United and Cowdenbeath, who had been promoted to the First and Second Divisions, respectively, as a result of Livi's relegation. Instead, the SFL announced Ross County v Airdrie, Cowdenbeath v Arbroath and East Stirling v Livingston would all go ahead but the results would be void if Livi's appeal proved successful. The decision risked making a mockery of the entire competition but appeared to demonstrate the SFL's belief that any appeal is doomed to fail. That did not prevent a backlash against the league. East Stirling vice-chairman and major shareholder Spencer Fearn has been one of the most vocal critics of the handling of the affair, having already called for the heads of the entire SFL management committee. He told his club's website: "It is an almost farcical situation. Personally, I saw no need to relegate Livingston if a prospective rescue package had been put in place and the new owners were prepared to help fund the club to stay in the First Division." Ross County issued a statement on their official website, which read: "We would like to apologise to fans for the late confirmation of this but the matter has been outwith our control and we share your frustration at the doubt and confusion that has surrounded the game." The club were understood to have demanded compensation were this weekend's fixture postponed. Despite initially appearing to benefit from the outcome, Cowdenbeath fear a successful appeal. Secretary Scott Brewster told Press Association Sport: "If tomorrow's result is void then we would be upset. "Hopefully after this, the SFL learn some lessons and get plans in place so that it doesn't happen again." Airdrie chairman Jim Ballantyne maintained his support for the SFL, describing the decision as 'the proper thing to do'. He added: "If there is an appeal then we will get it heard." Livi were on the brink of liquidation last week until the SFL gave the green light to a rescue package led by McDougall, Rankine and Nixon. But the consortium's plan did not reckon with relegation and the West Lothian outfit's existence is once again in real doubt, with interim manager McGruther branding the SFL punishment 'the death knell' for the club. Livi's total debts are not known but they are thought to amount to more than £1million ($A1.99million). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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