Celtic, and the 41 other SPFL clubs, have been sent a questionnaire to gauge opinion on what to do if this season can’t be finished.
Last season, Neil Lennon’s men were awarded a ninth successive Premiership title – after the Coronavirus pandemic cut short the Scottish league season.
There was bitter in-fighting among the Scottish football landscape, as league winners, promotion and relegation were sorted in the courts rather than on the pitch.
And, in order to avoid a repeat situation this term, the SPFL want to establish some pre-determined rules just in case the pandemic halts the game again.
Some clubs change their mind on failed July resolution
As The Herald report, Celtic are among the 42 clubs being canvassed for their opinion on what should happen if the season is ended prematurely again.
This is undoubtedly a major issue in Scottish football, given that it could decide who wins the league in the event of another shutdown.
The ramifications for 10 in-a-row could be huge – given the very real possibility that the COVID pandemic peaks again.
The SPFL want to see if there is support for a resolution that would hand them the power to decide what happens in the case of another early finish.
Back in July, a similar resolution was rejected by clubs but now SPFL chief-executive Neil Doncaster wants to revisit the issue.
In a statement on the SPFL’s website on Friday, he said: “Many of our clubs support the principle of drawing up a set of protocols long before we get to the situation where league positions understandably influence the individual approach of clubs to these difficult situations.
“However, the proposal to allow the board a clearly specified and limited degree of authority to take action if we are unable to complete the season did not have sufficient support in the summer.
“Given the ongoing challenges caused to sport worldwide by Covid-19, several clubs have now indicated they have changed their position.
“The board wishes to establish if a sufficient number of clubs now wish to revisit this issue, so we can significantly reduce the uncertainty and division that arose towards the end of last season.”
There’s a lot we don’t know
It is not clear what any measures would look like, and what power the SPFL would have to make decisions.
But it does seem like Scottish football has to make a clear and early decision, so there can be few complaints by any clubs at a later date.
Would there be a rule that said, if a team was a certain number of points ahead on a certain date, they be declared champions? Or would it simply go on a points per game basis – meaning that a team a point behind could be harshly treated.
The truth is that nobody knows yet.
But the news is a reminder that we are in a very precarious place at present. And with Neil Lennon’s men four points off the pace right now, we really must get our act together just in case the league doesn’t make it to May.
In other news, Michael Stewart has picked out an uplifting and concerning point from Celtic’s defeat to Milan
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