Friday 17th June, 2016 at 4:24pm
The Board of Partick Thistle FC has expressed anger and frustration at the fixture list for season 2016/17 announced by the SPFL earlier today, which will put the Club and two other Premiership sides at a sporting and financial disadvantage in the forthcoming season.
In previous seasons where both Rangers and Celtic were in the Premiership, pre-split fixtures have been organised to ensure that every club plays three home games against the Old Firm. Without any notification from the SPFL to the contrary, we had expected that this practice would continue this season and that is the basis on which we and other clubs have budgeted.
However, this season we, Motherwell and Hamilton have been handed only two Old Firm games at home whilst Dundee, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hearts have four home games. That means an expected loss in revenues for the Club of £120,000 before a ball is even kicked, whilst other clubs will get an unexpected bonus of a similar figure.
Financial implications aside, we believe there is a significant sporting disadvantage created by the fixture list as it stands. Pre-split, we will make four trips away to the two biggest clubs in the country while some clubs will only make two. In the past, each club has made three trips.
It is also worth noting that, for the second time in three seasons, SPFL fixturing means that we will have no competitive match on the second weekend of the campaign.
Having had no communication from the SPFL explaining these changes prior to this morning’s announcement, Partick Thistle intends to seek compensation from the SPFL for all clubs concerned or that they reconsider the fixture list to ensure a level playing field for all.
