RAGING Hearts have launched a court action to stop Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers being promoted.
SunSport can reveal the contents of individual letters sent to the Championship, League One and League Two winners this week - and it’s a desperate bid to scrap promotion.
Tynecastle chairman Ann Budge launched a legal petition at the Court of Session against the SPFL and part of her action includes blocking teams moving up and down leagues this season.
With the prospect of restructuring the leagues now dead and Budge's 14-team Premiership plan up in flames, their only option for remaining in the top flight is to keep others down.
While Budge said in a club statement on Wednesday that: “For clarity, our petition does not seek to set aside or unravel the fee payments made to clubs, nor indeed the declaration of Champions, or the nomination of clubs who will participate in European competition.”
But, curiously, she omitted to mention that while naming United, Raith and Cove as league winners and giving them the prize money involved isn’t part of her case - denying them promotion IS.
Her joint legal move with Partick Thistle - which is set to claim up to £10 million in damages if the SPFL resolution to end the season the way it was is not overturned - had already provoked fury among fellow clubs.
Budge has maintained she only wants fairness all along - but that’s not how the three clubs who were named in her writ see it now.
The trio have all been in contact with the SPFL about the matter and are waiting for legal guidance from their QC and advisers before deciding their way forward.