Rangers and five other Premiership clubs have sent a strong letter of concern to the SPFL and Murdoch MacLennan, despite the league’s recent announcement about an independent review receiving positive feedback. The clubs, including Aberdeen, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Motherwell, and Livingston, have publicly voiced their concerns following the SPFL’s declaration in the summer that an independent review would take place into its governance after apologising and compensating Rangers for their long-running Premiership cinch sponsorship row. Auditors Henderson Loggie were hired to analyze the game’s governance, and the SPFL said the three-month review showed strong commercial expertise and knowledge with a diverse range of skills.
However, the six clubs expressed deep concern about the report’s independence, claiming that only one club outside of current or previous SPFL Board members had the opportunity to input into the report’s investigation, which is believed to be Aberdeen. They issued a joint statement expressing their serious concerns regarding the report’s independence, transparency, and the overall governance of the SPFL. They also specifically called out SPFL chairman McLennan, seeking full clarity on numerous issues to determine if further action is necessary.
This includes concerns about McLennan’s hasty release of a statement that did not reflect the full findings of the report and was issued without the approval or knowledge of members of the SPFL Board or SPFL member clubs. The clubs and others are deeply concerned about the report’s independence, given that the SPFL Executive received the first draft of the report and made changes to it before sending it to SPFL Board members. The handling of the Independent Governance report has brought the clubs governance concerns to a head, and it is now incumbent on the SPFL Board and Executive to provide clarity over these clear and deeply troubling concerns as a matter of urgency.
MacLennan’s reassurances following the completion of the review were also highlighted, indicating the need for transparency and accountability in addressing the clubs’ concerns.