LESS than half of the 42 SPFL clubs have voted in favour of granting the governing body the power to curtail the season.

The SPFL announced today that following their latest consultation with clubs on Covid-19 and its impact, only 20 were in favour of allowing the SPFL to end the season if a particular threshold of matches had been played.

The clubs were also quizzed about allowing the SPFL to impose a 3-0 defeat on a team who fail to fulfil a fixture, only four clubs were in favour of this.

Neil Doncaster, the SPFL chief executive said: “Like everyone in the game, the board is keen to avoid the division and dispute caused when Scottish Government restrictions prompted by Covid-19 forced the curtailment of last season.

“In light of the fast-changing nature of coronavirus restrictions, the board is seeking to ensure that the game is as well-prepared as it can be for any eventuality and the League is consulting regularly with all 42 member clubs.

“We have already carried out one such consultation exercise this season and the second, which we have just completed, is unlikely to be the last. In the interests of transparency, we expect that we’ll continue to monitor and publish the collective views of clubs as the season develops.”

A full list of the results of the consultation can be found below.

20 clubs agreed that they would be content to give the SPFL Board at this stage in the season power to curtail the season (on a points per game basis) if a particular threshold of matches had been played by the date of curtailment;

17 clubs agreed that they would be content to give the SPFL Board the power now to void the season if an insufficient number of matches had been played by the date of curtailment;

12 clubs were in favour of the SPFL Board being granted broad powers to manage further Covid-19 related disruption to the season. A number of other clubs were undecided on the issue, with some suggesting that they may reconsider later in the season;

four clubs were in favour of the SPFL Board being given the power to impose a 3-0 defeat on any club not fulfilling a fixture. A number of clubs expressed the view that the existing system, which gives the Board power to allow or refuse individual League Match postponements and to investigate the circumstances, which may result in disciplinary proceedings being commenced, allows “due process” to be followed before any sanction is imposed; a wide range of views were expressed as to how many fixtures should be completed for a valid season to be deemed to have been completed, in the event of early curtailment; 

19 clubs felt that it was “too early to take decisions now” and that decisions on any Covid-19 related disruption should be considered later in the season.

The consultation coms after a number of postponements to SPFL fixtures in recent weeks.