Socks, Wed 16 Apr 23:32

The licensing downgrade is separate to the issues around the ground. I haven`t seen any official comment from either Hamilton or the SPFL but the talk of points deductions is to do with the licensing issue and it`s because Bonnyrigg were deducted 6 points earlier in the season when their license was also downgraded from bronze to entry.

With Bonnyrigg, the reason for the downgrade was an issue with the ground. With Hamilton, it`s not. Their ground is listed as `silver`. It`s on `first team` criteria that they`ve been dropped to entry level.

It`s late in the season, but this has been going on for ages. I found some of the earlier lists of awards from this season and most clubs in this division were initially audited in September. Some, including Hamilton and the Pars, had further reviews in November, presumably to follow up on certain issues. Most were resolved at that time, including ours being downgraded from silver to bronze, also on first team criteria. The lists showed Hamilton`s award still not having been decided at that stage, with further reviews in December. In March, theirs was finalised as only meeting requirements for entry license. One list showed it as subject to appeal, and another list was later published with that asterisk removed.

I assume the hearing tomorrow is going to deal with this. It is now a requirement of all SPFL clubs to maintain at least bronze license and so the fact that they haven`t means they have breached league rules. I don`t see how that can be contested. The SPFL now need to consider what sanction is appropriate, if any. It`s not certain there will be a points deduction and, if there is, it`s not certain it will be 6. To some degree, it will depend on circumstances.

It`s possible it will also look at the separate issues with the ground. The ground issues are to do with them not confirming their ground for next season by the deadline of 31 March, and possibly also whether they have the necessary security to play there at all. There seems to have been some admin issue that meant they returned the forms slightly late. If this is part of what the hearing is about, and it was just a matter of submitting forms a couple of days late, it would be ridiculous for there to be any significant penalty for that if they can find some mitigation for it.

My guess is that it will deal only with the licensing issue, with any ground-related matters to be looked at later if at all. The licensing issue is what needs dealt with now, as any points deductions have to be sorted out very soon. And since it`s been going on since September, there absolutely does need to be a final outcome to it before the end of the season.

Socks, Thu 17 Apr 23:27

`guid story though`

Most of what I said was pretty much right, though? The licensing issue was the third charge and there was a 3-point deduction for it. The issue with the ground was the fourth charge, and there was a suspended fine (so basically no sanction) for that. All pretty much in line with what I said.

The main one on the first charge was a total unknown. I certainly didn`t expect that. But I was on about the licensing and ground issues, which people were getting mixed up with.

Parsfangaz, Thu 17 Apr 23:31

Socks, Thu 17 Apr 23:27

`guid story though`

Most of what I said was pretty much right, though? The licensing issue was the third charge and there was a 3-point deduction for it. The issue with the ground was the fourth charge, and there was a suspended fine (so basically no sanction) for that. All pretty much in line with what I said.

The main one on the first charge was a total unknown. I certainly didn`t expect that. But I was on about the licensing and ground issues, which people were getting mixed up with.

Have a night aff min,

kozmasrightfoot, Thu 17 Apr 18:56

I`m one for of unfortunate humans that suffers from excess empathy so it`s a weird feeling being happy for us but sad for the Hamilton fans. I`d much rather we stayed up on merit by getting enough points in our last 3 games.

How would you feel? Sitting in 7th place with 3 games to go then BOOM! 15 point deduction and almost guaranteed relegation. I`m happy that we`re pretty much safe, but I`m in no mood for celebrating.

I know that others would laugh if it was us, but I`m not them. I remember what happened to us not that long ago and it wasn`t a nice feeling.

I`d imagine that any appeal would have to happen in the next week or 2? You can`t unrelegate/unpromote a team ffs.

cammypar 1995, Fri 18 Apr 08:04

Massive let off but we still have work to do. Doesn`t change anything regarding the lack of quality on the pitch over the course of the season and hopefully we address that over the summer break. Hopefully we can secure safety and start planning for next season in the championship by getting Mullen signed up on that 1 year option.