Neil Doncaster defends health of Scottish Premier League

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SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster

Neil Doncaster has vigorously defended the financial health of the 12 clubs in the Scottish Premier League.

The SPL chief executive admitted to BBC Radio 5 live Breakfast that "there are challenging times within Scottish football at the moment".

But he added: "The last two years, overall, the SPL was at break-even. Twelve clubs, no profits, no losses - that's a great position to be in."

A number of clubs have spoken of their financial problems in recent weeks.

to pay Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to allay the threat of a winding-up order.

Their city rivals , taking their debt to £6.4m.

And , with clubs getting into debt by spending too much on players' wages as they bid to avoid greater debts by being relegated.

And three weeks ago business recovery firm Begbies Traynor said football finances, across the SPL and the Scottish Football League, were in a worse state than six months ago.

Its spokesman Ken Pattullo said: "The relegation of Rangers has had some impact, but lower attendances and falling revenues, and in particular reducing TV money, has given rise to the distress that is spread across the SPL and divisions one and two."

However, by £5.75m by converting it to preference shares.

Doncaster pointed to the competitive nature of the SPL as a sign of its rude health.

"It needs competitive balance and this year we have it," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"We have the top six separated by five points, nearly at the halfway stage.

"Scottish football is renowned worldwide in a very positive light; it's renowned for passion, drama and excitement.

"It's so passionate up here. It's such a big part of people's lives. It is important in England, it's vitally important up here."

Asked if Rangers playing in the Third Division had damaged the league, he said: "Oddly not. I think a number of people were predicting that there would be huge financial difficulties amongst clubs.

"Half of our clubs are showing an increase in attendances this year.

"It's not anywhere near as bleak as it might have been and part of that is because so many of our partners - the Clydesdale Bank, Sky Sports, ESPN - have stood by the SPL and that's why, along with the fans coming through the gates, the game is actually in robust financial health.

"Rangers are where they are. They are in the fourth tier of Scottish football and they will work their way back."

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54 comments

  • Comment posted by U14097593, at 10:21 1 Dec 2012

    THEY aren't in the league anymore, so by default the league is rubbish and has been a disaster for Scottish football.

    My ears are bleeding !

  • Comment posted by thetorch, at 20:04 30 Nov 2012

    Something that has been completely overlooked-the TV money might have gone down in terms of the figure-but Rangers took 25% of the previous amount.So instead of 50% of 12 mill (6 mill obv) between 10-There is now 75% of the new amount spread between the other 11 clubs.Not that much of a difference.
    With slightly increased crowds outside Celtic(who have CL),clubs don't miss Rangers financially..

  • Comment posted by U14649917, at 18:36 30 Nov 2012

    Funny how its the fans of a blue persuasion are the ones slagging it off. The SPL never kicked Rangers out.
    They did it themselves.

  • Comment posted by U15133338, at 18:29 30 Nov 2012

    SPL isn't as bad as people think. The champions, Celtic FC, are performing admirably in Europe. This reflects positively on the rest of the SPL teams surely ?

  • Comment posted by U15144939, at 21:10 30 Nov 2012

    Neil Doncaster defends health of SPL....or to translate....Neil Doncaster desperately tries to defend his job.

    The most exciting SPL for a generation is nothing to do with the awful crew in charge, but like good little PR men they will take the credit.

    One organisation for Scottish football (and not the SPL)

  • Comment posted by alfie_langlands, at 15:53 30 Nov 2012

    The biggest thing that can help Scottish football's finances is getting 'bums on seats'.

    More needs to be done to tackle that - family offers, youth club offers and, dare I say it, league reconstruction... which the fans have been crying out for for years.

  • Comment posted by U15525352, at 17:09 2 Dec 2012

    Neil Doncaster must have his head buried in the sand, you only have to look at the attendances. When Celtic are away from home and Rangers are at home their attendances sometimes are greater that the entire SPL on that day. Come on Mr Doncaster admit that you made a big,big mistake inthe summer !!!!!!

  • Comment posted by Early Ball, at 11:11 1 Dec 2012

    It is about high time Scottish Football got a decent deal from the BBC
    500K a year in total. English Prem alone gets 186 million even Alan Hansen is reputed to receive 1.5 million for his bland comments on MOTD.
    SPL is half decent this season and deserves a better deal. We pay the same license fee in Scotland.

  • Comment posted by U15523958, at 10:44 1 Dec 2012

    Despite the tax case, there are still the side letters to consider. A team is said to have broken rules they agreed to whilst being a member club in the SPL. The punishment and procedures to deal with rule breakers were also voted on by this club, they just never thought these procedures would apply to them. Other clubs would have liked squad size/quality of that club. All clubs suffer, no apology

  • Comment posted by Jbob, at 09:56 1 Dec 2012

    Connect with your local public,a family game that's an affordable day out, search out the local talent and sell the best of what this small country can produce to the bigger leagues.This is the REALITY, thinking we can compete any higher is dreaming.It's the working man who walks through the turnstile, pays his hard earned cash and sings his lungs out spporting HIS club. HE should be listened to.

  • Comment posted by LiamD, at 19:52 30 Nov 2012

    @15.
    There are more countries in the world than England by the way. Having said that Scottish football is not in good shape at the moment however things were expected to be a lot worse after Rangers' demise. The SPL and SFA should listen to the fans and give them exactly what they want; league reconstruction and cheaper tickets.

  • Comment posted by U15523399, at 17:51 30 Nov 2012

    @ 10 sthomson18; Hibs have a modern stadium
    @ 13.imager614 "Hibs are on the Brink of bankruptcy" How do come to that conclusion? The majority of Hibs debt is made up by mortgage payments for the re-development of Easter Road. Yes they have made a lose in the last 2 years (1.8m), but that comes down to poor performances and a drop in attendances and paying off poor managers.

  • Comment posted by morbhoy, at 16:50 30 Nov 2012

    Fans have to play their part also. As has already been posted they turn up in large numbers for cup semis/finals but then disappear when it's back to league business. They can't lay all the blame at administrators when they don't play their part so it's time to get behind your team, go to games and then moan.

  • Comment posted by morbhoy, at 16:40 30 Nov 2012

    Doncaster is part of the problem as it was his doom and gloom predictions that helped SPL into its current state. Now that he's been proved wrong he's taking the opposite view !!

  • Comment posted by U14747216, at 16:20 30 Nov 2012

    Another blog where the depressed get to ritually moan about ND, Regan, SFA, SPL and the OF...and come up with fantasy leagues where millions fans turn up to watch the likes of Morton..tedious

  • Comment posted by U3423645, at 21:40 30 Nov 2012

    This is the guy who told the lower divisions that there would be financial Armageddon without Rangers in the top league. They're not, and everything is rosy in the garden?

    The man is obviously not fooling anyone.

  • Comment posted by U3916190, at 16:14 30 Nov 2012

    There are none so blind as those who will not see.

    SPL has been a disaster for Scottish football.

  • Comment posted by U14569755, at 11:38 1 Dec 2012

    Nobody wants to pay for the SPL ...outside Scotland (excpet ex pats maybe)

    The Premier League is marketable product .... the SPL is not !

    25 other leagues are ranked higher .... it is called market forces

    The BBC should not waste monies on the SPL .... Sky has a contract to show matches

    St Johnstone v Inverness CT ..... any takers to pay for this ???

  • Comment posted by CaptainS, at 19:49 30 Nov 2012

    @29
    I'm sure in your world travels that you will have noticed that the only teams fans from other countries know about are the the top few in each country so your comments are a bit flawed. By the way in my world travels I have been in many sports clothing stores and you can only buy the tops of the top few of the top European countries, astonishingly plenty of Rangers and Celtic tops!!!

  • Comment posted by U14569755, at 19:44 30 Nov 2012

    View from the rest of the world ........

    the SPL is ranked 26th in as a league by UEFA

    Celtic are a ranked outside the top 60 teams

    Scotland are ranked ranked 70th

    1998 was the last time Scotland qualified for a tournament .... and they have never qualified from the qroup stages ...

    1967 is a long time ago ....

    Inverness CT playing St Johnstone 4 times a season ????

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