No evidence of improper behaviour by SPFL surrounding Dundee vote

An independent investigation carried out by auditing firm
Deloitte to examine the circumstances surrounding Dundee’s vote on April 10 has
found. is “no evidence of improper behaviour” in how the Scottish Professional
Football League handled a vote among its member clubs to end the 2019-20 season

The SPFL board commissioned the firm to examine the
circumstances surrounding Dundee’s vote after criticism from Hearts and Rangers
who had called for an independent inquiry.

The subsequent investigation found that Dundee’s emailed ‘no’ vote had gone into a quarantine basket and so appeared not to have been received by the 5pm deadline.

The investigation found Dundee’s original ‘no’ vote, sent at
4.48pm, was only discovered later that same evening by SPFL company secretary
and director of operations Iain Blair.

Dundee’s club secretary Eric Drysdale sent a text message to
Blair at 6pm to say that the club did not wish their vote to be considered as
cast.

The Dens Park side subsequently reversed their decision and
voted in favour of the proposal to cut the season short which gives the SPFL board
permission to apply a points-per-game method to the final league table which
would see Celtic crowned champions and bottom side Hearts demoted to the Championship.

Since then a reconstruction group which would restructure the
SPFL divisions to spare clubs from relegation has been established

SPFL independent non-executive director Karyn McCluskey said
in an open letter to clubs, their supporters and the media on Friday:
“Deloitte’s examination of phone records, mobile communications (including
texts) and email data has identified no evidence of improper behaviour by SPFL
personnel concerning the submission of the Dundee FC vote.

“I hope that Scottish football will now focus on the
significant issues that face our game, otherwise many clubs may not survive
this period.”