- SPL
Scottish reconstruction proposals defeated
St Mirren and Ross County have both voted against the league reconstruction plans in Scotland.
Monday's vote between Scottish Premier League clubs had required an 11-1 majority to be passed and, had it been successful, a vote among lower-league clubs was due to take place on Friday.
However, with the two SPL clubs voting against, the proposals have been defeated.
The plans were for a 12-12-18 league structure. At the halfway point in the season, the teams in the top two divisions would split into three groups of eight, with the 'middle eight' having their points reset in their new mini-league. The plans were described as "convoluted" by Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir when they were agreed in principle in January.
St Mirren had been in favour of a larger division and said last week that the proposals should not be considered "a take-it-or-leave-it situation". Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson, however, insisted: "It's this or nothing else."
Ahead of Monday's meeting, St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour had added: "I don't know until we get in there but I hope we can have some form of compromise.
"One must stand with what one thinks and feels with one's heart and one's head. However, I do think there's a way forward to get into one body; way forward for an all-through distribution model and I'd like to work hard towards that."
Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne broke the news that the proposals had failed after the meeting and showed frustration with his Saints counterpart.
Milne said: "One club in particular you would need to ask just exactly what their agenda is - St Mirren. What was on the table for everyone to consider today was back the plan, an opportunity to move Scottish football forward.
"If it doesn't deliver to the extent that ten clubs genuinely believe it will deliver, then the opportunity is there to re-look at it down the line within two to three years. It's the status quo. The offer of changing the reconstruction rules was rejected by the two clubs, which no one can see the logic behind."