Hearts’ fate to be decided at this morning’s SPFL Board meeting

A meeting of the SPFL Board scheduled for 10am today will
almost certainly announce that Celtic are Scottish champions for the ninth
successive season whilst bottom of the table Hearts will be relegated into the
Championship.

A meeting of the Premiership clubs on Friday came to an
agreement that the current campaign should be ended and placings accepted as
they stand under the application of the points average method.

Celtic held a 13-point lead over Rangers having played one game more when Scottish football was suspended on March 13 whilst Hearts were four points behind Hamilton at the foot of the table.

Because the Scottish Cup can not be completed in time for
the Uefa deadline for notification, Aberdeen will join Rangers and Motherwell
in next seasons Europa League competition.

Meanwhile in a surprise move, Hearts’ Chair Ann Budge will
submit a last-ditch proposal for league reconstruction in a desperate bid to
keep her club in the top-flight.

Budge previously led a taskforce to look at reconstruction but
six Premiership clubs decided they weren’t in favour of changing the league
set-up at this time and her statement following the break-up of talks when she
accused other clubs of ‘self- interest’ and being’ incredibly sanctimonious’ may
well have annoyed her fellow owners whom she needs to back her idea.

She also insisted that she will take further advice on what
options are available to her whilst former Hearts chairman Leslie Deans has urged
club to take legal action against not only the SPFL but also the other clubs
who ‘voted for Hearts ejection from league’.

An announcement is anticipated around lunchtime today.