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as expected, chick dung is an erse

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it's looking mor and more likely after today, one point above dufermlne and seven behind ICT 

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No apology whatsoever for plagiarising this from another site ...

Heart of Midlothian Football Club have, tonight, been charged by the Scottish Premier League under article A3.1 of the SPL’s rules, which states …


A3.1 In all matters and transactions relating to the League and Company each Club shall behave towards each other Club and the Company with the utmost good faith.

Pardon my cynicism but … WHAT??

First of all, where in that “article” does it say anything about this punishment being anything at all to do with players not receiving their salaries on time?  Article A3.1 sits under the heading Relationship between clubs and the League.  No mention at all of players, contracts, salaries … nothing!

Are we seriously to believe that that is what the SPL were intending to speak about tonight?  Let’s be honest, Vladimir Romanov has been telling anybody who will listen that Hearts – and most others outside of the Old Firm – get handed harsher punishments, for lesser rule infringements, than the big two, so why would they need to have a meeting on a Tuesday evening, after business hours, to “slap him down”?
 
Since we are being honest … let’s be totally honest!  The SPL have come out with a “Hearts have, yet again, not paid their players” statement, told the media that they were going to have a meeting about what punishment will be handed out … then found out that Hearts actually have proof that the wages had been paid and though “Oh, jeepers” or words to that effect and decided to hand this nonsensical “charge” down instead!

As regards that charge, hands up, Vladimir Romanov and, by extension, Hearts are “bang to rights” in as much as he/they have publicly criticised the SPL or perhaps a fellow SPL club or two but … surely there can’t be many who haven’t?  And if you extend what we have been charged with to look at the whole of section A3 in the SPL rules, even more would fall foul of them.

The entirety of section A3 reads like this …


Relationship between Clubs and the League

A3.1 In all matters and transactions relating to the League and Company each Club shall behave towards each other Club and the Company with the utmost good faith.

A3.2 No Club, either by itself or its Club Officials, shall by any means whatsoever unfairly criticise, disparage, belittle or discredit any other Club, the Company or the League or in either case any such other Cub or the Company’s directors, officers, employees or agents (which shall, for the avoidance of doubt, exclude supporters).

A3.3 A Club shall not either during its membership of the League or at any time after its membership has terminated disclose or divulge either directly or indirectly to any person, firm or company whatsoever or otherwise make use of any Confidential Information as to the business or finances of the League or any of its dealings, transactions or affairs or as to any other matters which may come to its knowledge by reason of its membership without the Board's prior written consent save where required by law to statutory and regulatory authorities (including by the SFA in accordance with the SFA Articles) and to such employees of a Club to whom such disclosure is strictly necessary for the purpose of their duties and only then to the extent so necessary.
So, let's have a look at a couple of instances where section A3 rules may, or may not, have been breached, shall we?

 
•         Motherwell accused Aberdeen of “tapping up” Craig Brown and Archie Knox – Surely falls foul of article A3.2.
•         Hibernian stated that they did not trust Hearts to give them money for selling tickets for the last Edinburgh Derby at Easter Road – This surely falls under A3.1 OR A3.2.
•         Rangers and Celtic have, for the last few years, constantly gone to the press with stories of how poor the competition in the SPL is and how they would like to escape to go and play in England – Well if that doesn’t unfairly criticise, disparage, belittle or discredit any other Club, the Company or the League then I’m a monkey’s uncle!

And that’s to name only a few of the constant criticism and belittling that goes on in our game.  Why was it Hearts who were singled out for the punishment on this occasion?  You tell me!

 Because, if it was for Romanov claiming Hearts get treated unfairly … surely the “powers that be” within the SPL have just managed to actually prove the man’s point!