SPFL board unlikely to make a decision on ending Scottish Premiership season until after UEFA meeting in May
Friday 24 April 2020 13:37, UK
Rangers have written to the SPFL board to support a proposal by Aberdeen to attempt to finish the Scottish Premiership season behind closed doors.
It comes as the full SPFL board is due to meet on Monday afternoon for the first time since April 10, when all 42 SPFL clubs voted on board proposals to conclude the season.
It is understood the SPFL is unlikely to call an end to the Scottish Premiership at that meeting and will instead make a decision after a UEFA meeting scheduled for May.
Discussions at Monday's SPFL board meeting will be dominated by reaction to UEFA's briefing of associations on Thursday, and a response to talks from the SPFL reconstruction task force, who are due to meet again on Friday.
UEFA clarified its stance on European leagues concluding their seasons, outlining two sets of circumstances where it would be acceptable to end a season prematurely.
The SPFL board will be able to call the Premiership season if it can prove:
But Rangers are calling for the SPFL to see out the 2019/20 campaign behind closed doors.
"Rangers have consistently called for the 2019/2020 season to be played to a finish," a club spokesperson said.
"Given the fluidity of the situation, the club believes that the SPFL should consider all options. Although this is not our preference, this could include playing behind closed doors when it is safe to do so."
In an interview with Sky Sports News nearly three weeks ago, Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack stated his belief that the season could be completed behind closed doors, assuming that player safety had been guaranteed.
PFA Scotland has consistently argued against this possibility, citing player welfare concerns. Aberdeen have not commented on this issue since.
Earlier this week, Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, warned that the prospect of playing football behind closed doors needed to be "very carefully considered", and that football in front of fans would not take place anytime soon.
The Scottish FA have suspended all football until at least June 10.
Earlier this month, after a convoluted and controversial voting process, SPFL clubs agreed to terminate the Championship, League One and League Two seasons with immediate effect.
The vote also gave the SPFL board the power to end the Premiership season at a date to be determined, once it becomes clear whether or not the fixtures can be fulfilled.
