Partick Thistle let fly after being ‘forgotten, ignored and patronised’ by the SPFL

Partick Thistle yesterday tore into the SPFL and Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack over the sudden folding of the reconstruction group.

In what amounted to an incendiary attack, the Glasgow club said they had been “forgotten, ignored, and patronised” by the governing body.

Describing their treatment as “unprecedented”, they accused the SPFL of having failed in its duty of care to one of its members.

Yet despite their rage over being relegated to League One – a sanction they briefly considered appealing in the law courts – they insisted they would not only survive the injustice but thrive.

“The Partick Thistle board is deeply angered by the decision to halt league reconstruction due to ‘insufficient support for any prospect of league reconstruction at this time’ after a meeting of Premiership clubs,” said their statement.

“As the reconstruction group hadn’t even formally presented a final proposal, it is surprising and disappointing that this decision could be made regardless.

“The way that this news was made public before clubs affected by the decision knew – and before they could inform staff and players – was a disgrace.

“Yet again we were left to pick up the pieces due to thoughtless, selfish behaviour that showed no regard for fellow clubs.

“Speaking on behalf of the group of Premiership clubs on Friday, Aberdeen FC chairman Dave Cormack said: ‘The strong feeling of the group was that we must focus all of our energies on emerging from the crisis we face’.

“This is patronising nonsense. Is Mr Cormack suggesting that no clubs in other leagues have considered what’s happening to Scottish football?

“If so, that is disrespectful and offensive.”

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Thistle’s automatic relegation to League One was deeply controversial.

With nine matches remaining of the 2019-20 campaign they were just two points behind Queen of the South and had a game in hand. Alloa, in third-bottom spot, were five points better off, but again had played a game more than the Jags.

It was, Thistle argued, an unfair basis on which to make a decision which will have a huge impact on their financial future.

“The SPFL and some clubs, namely the six who were behind that decision yesterday, have now made it even more difficult for Partick Thistle Football Club to emerge unscathed from the crisis we now face,” said the statement.

“What’s galling is that it all stems from the arbitrary and unjust way the club was relegated, with no say in it, which effectively saw a members’ organisation inflict damage on us, one of its members, amid the most extraordinary circumstances.

“Our treatment is unprecedented in Scottish football. During this pandemic, across sport, efforts are ongoing to actively try to prevent damage, yet our governing body inexplicably chose a different path.

“It has singularly failed in its primary duty of care to a member.

“We have been forgotten, ignored and patronised while senior figures, for reasons best known to themselves, have scuppered a potential solution that did the least harm with no regard to the plight of those who have been betrayed for a second time.

“This is a sad indictment on those who govern our game and the clubs who think this is acceptable, especially when some of them may be in our shoes one day.

“Despite it all, Partick Thistle will not only survive this injustice but will flourish again.”

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Thistle backed their statement by making public a letter sent by chairman Jacqui Low to the SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan, in the wake of the latter’s open letter to all the country’s clubs.

In it, she hit out at the combative approach taken by the governing body.

“The new public communications approach taken by the SPFL isn’t just unhelpful, the language used in your last letter is divisive and accusatory,” she said.

“It damages Scottish football, and your recent letters, regrettably, have added to the perception of Scottish football being at war.”