Elgin City fined £25k

[Jonnyjardine 20]

Had enough of draconian measures being dished out this year. The football

team should not suffer because if this mess.

[islandblue 366]

Think point deduction would be too harsh

[CanadianBacon 2,088]

Completely OTT response to an administrative fuck-up that has nothing whatsoever to do with the team on the pitch.

Many will think I'm talking about the Elgin ticket story....some might realise I'm talking about the OTT Draconian punishments dished out to The Rangers just a few short months ago.

See what I did there?

[WATP-FOREVER 5,231]

We're in paedo free Div3 - why would we want to see any of our sfl members punished.

We may well be in Div3, but we're leagues above those scum that we left behind.

[WATP-FOREVER 5,231]

Completely OTT response to an administrative fuck-up that has nothing whatsoever to do with the team on the pitch.

Many will think I'm talking about the Elgin ticket story....some might realise I'm talking about the OTT Draconian punishments dished out to The Rangers just a few short months ago.

See what I did there?

So CB you don't agree with an unlawful 18month transfer ban, relegation of three divisions, (the local sunday pub team), and deduction of titles. Poor elgin, they've been put in a unique position that no other club has, ever. They are playing the world famour RFC - and over sold their tickets.

Wha's like us..........

[allanh91 75]

Total disgrace. Just fine them 25% of the gate receipts and have done with it. Will teach them for their cheek

[Blue Atheist 178]

Let them keep their points.

The team shouldnt be punished for a mistake by the board.

[CanadianBacon 2,088]

So CB you don't agree with an unlawful 18month transfer ban, relegation of three divisions, (the local sunday pub team), and deduction of titles. Poor elgin, they've been put in a unique position that no other club has, ever. They are playing the world famour RFC - and over sold their tickets.

Wha's like us..........

Got it in one.

The SFL are repeating the Draconian actions of the SPL.

Wha's like them right enough......

[govanblue 16,847]

Got it in one.

The SFL are repeating the Draconian actions of the SPL.

Having an enquiry into an incident is hardly draconian. Or is there more I don't know?

[Madina 3,817]

Good enough for them if they are docked points. Im sure if the roles were reversed and we had sold so many extra tickets leading to a postponement then we would be hounded by all and sundry.

Had it been 10 or 20 extra tickets that could be excusable but over 1,000!! Nah thats a big mistake to make

[ZZed 4,510]

No fine or points deduction but made to sit on the naughty step.

[Rangers#1 5,459]

If genuine mistake, compensation for both sets of fans out of pocket.

If down to greed, compensation for both sets of fans out of pocket, heavy fine for the individuals responsible and loss of position within club, for risking fans safety.

[dougied123 222]

I obviously differ in my views from most, I think a points deduction would be more acceptable than a heavy fine. The need the money more than they need the points, although they do need both. At least a points deduction would present less a chance of innocent parties losing their jobs as a result of cutting their cloth to suit their fine.

[WVB 2,560]

This whole episode has made me doubt Nat Frasers innocence.

[sjmcmeechan 28]

deciding the punishment before hearing the facts, that ring any bells?

seem's to be the journo's way in Scottich football.

let's wait & see what actually happened first

[markybear 136]

No points deduction

No tainted title.

If it was an spl club I'd want them demoted

[ZZed 4,510]

Can we wait on the facts and the findings of the SFL investigation before we act like the Scottish press.

[SectionRedHMS 190]

Hope not.No malice involved,just some amateurish behaviour.

[kplfishtank 4,656]

Director admits it was out of greed. No regard for fans so I have no sympathy for them.

[Ozblue 4,331]

It will be interesting to see what punishment Elgin get for this.No matter what the outcome is, I think their chairman will have his arse in Tatters, so to speak

[bluepeter 5,627]

How did the oversell come to light? I thought Elgin realised they'd oversold and contacted the authorities...

If so, they've not tried to profit from us, they've made a mistake. Regardless, docking points is harsh, even if they're found guilty. Have we become so bitter about maximum penalties being demanded for us that we're taking it out on the first available club?

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

EMBARRASSED Elgin City director Martyn Hunter last night spoke of his shame at the “greed and stupidity” that left the Highlanders’ historic clash with Rangers in tatters.

The club safety officer is the first official from Borough Briggs to speak out after police forced Sunday’s top-of-the-table televised clash to be called off.

The police stepped in when it emerged around 1200 tickets over the ground’s capacity had been shifted.

Hunter revealed he was the one who alerted Grampian Police after being informed of the extra briefs that had been sold and said he felt physically sick when the game was later axed.

Elgin are set to be hammered by the SFL today, with a points deduction among the sanctions open to League bosses intent on making an example of the club.

Speaking to Record Sport after a weekend from hell, Hunter said: “I am utterly embarrassed about the whole thing.

“The reputation of Elgin City has taken a hell of a dunt and I was absolutely shattered when the police took the decision.

“I knew nothing of it and it completely floored me. I took it really badly. I was utterly gutted.

“The work that had gone into this at every stage involving the security people, the support we’ve had from Rangers – I thought we’d covered every contingency.

“I’ve never known anything like it and it was down to greed and stupidity.

Paul McMullan admits Elgin stars were gutted after Rangers match was axed over ticket disaster

“But regardless of the motives, we know the result. We don’t know the exact number of tickets over the capacity that were sold but it was over our safety limit and that’s all that matters.

“The trouble with smaller grounds like Elgin is that the capacity of the ground is always under review.

“Work was being done for the game that could have increased the capacity so tickets were perhaps printed on an estimate.

“I’m not saying I wasn’t involved with that side of it. But certainly more tickets got into the system, put it that way.

“We’re still evaluating what exactly happened. Could people lose their jobs over this? I haven’t thought that far ahead.

“I was absolutely gutted on Friday. I had chaired the pre-op meeting on behalf of the club in my role as a safety officer.

“We all left that meeting very happy that we were in control of the situation and looking forward to a terrific game on the Sunday.

“That meeting took place on Friday at 12.30pm.

“But shortly after I discovered some tickets had been sold that hadn’t gone through the office.

“I immediately contacted the police to say there was a problem.They then returned for a set of discussions and everyone knows the outcome.

“I was informed that tickets had been sold but I wouldn’t want to expand on that.

“I hope people respect my position on that. I told the police as soon as I was made aware.

“I felt like being sick on the spot but health and safety is paramount to everything in my mind.

“I thought it was compromised so the police were called and they did the right thing in cancelling the game.”

Hunter now wants to try to rebuild his club’s reputation and is trying to ensure fans are reimbursed as a first priority.

But as the SFL drew their investigation to a close the City official knows his club are set to be hit with at least a hefty fine.

He said: “I haven’t given much thought to the consequences because right now I’m thinking only of the disappointed fans.

“We’ve staged meetings where the focus has been on reimbursing the fans who were left disappointed.

“We’ve also got a game to play against Rangers on Sunday and we’ve got to pull ourselves together and see that this doesn’t happen again.”

http://www.<No links to this website>/sport/football/football-news/embarrassed-elgin-director-martyn-hunter-1458808

[bazzl82 2]

Points deduction would be harsh but rules are rules

[harry handsome 629]

Please show some common sense SFL.

They tried to maximize their income as the greatest show on earth was coming to town.

A severe censure and nothing else please.

What good does taking money out of a clubs coffers do when the club needs as much money as it can to function.

[Ozblue 4,331]

A bit off topic, but can anybody tell me why Elgin City got stripped of a title and any further punishment they received?

I'm normally on the ball when it comes to stuff like this, but I can't remember the story of this one.

Thanks in advance.