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Steven Gerrard labels SPFL a 'mess' and calls for investigation

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has called for an independent investigation into the vote which has b...
Phil Egan
Phil Egan

11:49 AM - 16 Apr 2020



Steven Gerrard labels SPFL a '...

Sport

Steven Gerrard labels SPFL a 'mess' and calls for investigation

Phil Egan
Phil Egan

11:49 AM - 16 Apr 2020



Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has called for an independent investigation into the vote which has brought an end to the season in the lower leagues of Scotland.

The vote means the Championship, League One and League Two campaigns will finish early and be decided on a points per game basis.

Dundee backed the decision on Wednesday night having originally submitting a No vote last week, resulting in Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers being declared champions.

It also means the SPFL board has the power to "call" the Premiership season when it becomes clear it cannot continue.

A working group has been set up to examine the possibility of league reconstruction but Rangers had previously called for an inquiry and the suspension of SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.

Gerrard has backed the stance of his club and he gave his views on Thursday's Sky Sports Football Show.

"I've been watching closely, it does seem a bit of a mess.

"I let the suits carry on doing what they are doing. From afar the SPFL looks an absolute mess in all honesty.

"It's getting absolutely battered from pillar to post.

"From my point of view, all I ask is for the SPFL to show some leadership.

"What he [(SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan] has to do now, he needs to allow an independent investigation into the set up up there to prove everything wrong and to make sure there is fairness and transparency up there in Scotland.

"There's so many doubts now, certainly looking in over the last few days, it's so confusing up there at the moment.

"The SPFL have said they are open to an internal investigation and I don't agree with that because you shouldn't really be able to mark your own homework because if you do that you're always going to finish top of the class.

"So for me, there needs to be an expert or a forensic investigator who should come in and look at everything across the board with the SPFL.

"And if everything's clean, everything's fair and everything's transparent then all the accusations, all the bad media, all the ex-pundits can't slam the organisation. Everyone can move forward in the right direction.

Celtic have a 13 point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership and were on course to win a ninth consecutive league title before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gerrard was asked if he wanted the season finished.

"Do I want to see the season finished? I certainly understand the situation that we're in.

"I think there's more important things to be focused on right now, obviously our own person families and the health of everyone and our supporters is the most important thing right now.

"Ideally, of course, I'd like to see everyone back playing and finish the season off. I think that's how everyone wants to see it.

"But where we are right now the main priority is everyone's health, football is certainly secondary."



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Coronavirus Dundee Rangers SPFL Scottish Premiership Steven Gerrard

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