Well, the last few weeks have been interesting. We have had The SPL vote in a sham of a meeting that due to “sporting integrity” they were going to evict Newco Rangers from the SPL. All the while, they knew fine well that voting to allow them to stay wasn’t going to be allowed to happen and have since passed the buck and laid their problem at the SFL’s door.
Since that point, they have applied considerable pressure threatening the loss of all of our income and emotional blackmail about football collapsing and it being all the SFL’s fault. To be honest, it’s not surprising based on past dealings with the SPL, but here we are and what do we do?
Today’s vote is monumental in the history of Scottish football and it’s not without a great deal of stress and debate amongst our board and input from shareholders, season ticket holders and supporters that we have come up with our votes for the three agenda items placed before our one representative at today’s meeting.
We will vote yes to allowing Newco Rangers into the SFL as an associate member and agree to permit Rangers F.C. to play in the league 2012/13. The logic behind this is that they have the facilities and fan base that the league is looking for. The fact that it could go against the rule book is a question for the SFL and not us.
We will vote no on the agenda item that allows Rangers into the 3rd division, but 1st division if the SFL board agree terms with the SPL and SFA on measures “improving” the game. Our representative has been instructed that if the agenda item is altered to allow Rangers into the 3rd division full stop, that we will vote yes, but not on any agenda item that allows Rangers into the 1st.
Finally, we will vote yes to allow either Dunfermline or Dundee to resign from the SFL and be admitted to the SPL for the upcoming season.
A lot has been said in the press etc. about what is right and wrong, but my personal opinion is that Rangers are/were one of 42 professional football clubs in Scotland and should be treated as any one of the 41 other clubs would be. I did not appreciate the bullying and threats that have come from above and part of the problem in our professional game is the unbalanced structure. By the way, I have started writing from my point of view because that is exactly what it is. It is not necessarily the view of Ayr United FC.
I don’t think anyone believes that if it were any other SPL Club besides Celtic that there would be anywhere near this level of pressure etc. and it is partly because of this that we have voted the way we have.
If Rangers do end up voted into the 3rd division, it is likely that an SPL2 will be attempted. So, just for the record (and I hope the sarcasm is clear) the body that is doing such a sterling job of running the top league in our country is going to further try to decimate the SFL by setting up another league and forcing the teams left behind to grovel for crumbs.
I hope that whatever decision is taken tomorrow will be allowed to stand without interference or lawsuits etc., and we will accept any decision either way by the democratic process set up by the SFL. We may not agree with the outcome, but if it is made by the SFL by a transparent vote, then I am satisfied.
I would like to say that I think David Longmuir and the SFL board have been stitched up here, but they have handled themselves well under the circumstances. I sat on that board for a few years and I know for a fact that David, and all of the others who make up the board from the various clubs in Scotland are supporters of the game and believe in the integrity of the game itself. He has been put under unbelievable public pressure and although some press have tried to bundle him in with the other two, he will do what is the right thing by going with the wishes of the 30 clubs that make up the SFL.
Finally, and this is important. If our wishes come true and Rangers do enter the SFL in the 3rd division, we will be under immediate financial pressure as we will automatically lose over 60k immediately. That 60k is already spent in this years playing budget.
Ayr United will not make it through the season if we don’t find a way to make up that loss. So, we have decided to vote based on what is right, but meanwhile are aware that it has the possibility of collapsing us as a club. That is where all of you who have written, called and emailed the club can help by purchasing season tickets, encouraging people to attend matches and sponsoring your club in all the various ways possible.
I have appreciated all of the correspondence that we have received from our supporters. (I could have done without the hundreds of emails from supporters of other clubs) and we have taken your views into account when making our decision. It’s a huge financial risk for us, but I personally think that if we are to make it through this season in tact that it is better standing for what is right than selling our souls and the integrity of the game to appease those at the top who have already done their best to dismantle the game since 1998. I’m a big Scotland supporter and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we haven’t been to a major finals since the SPL was formed.
Hopefully tomorrow’s vote is binding and there is no monkey business that further tarnishes all of us in the sport, and I like most that I have heard from hope it’s the right one.
Lachlan Cameron
saw my mate saying he was doing this earlier haven't had a listen yet though http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=231260