Play-off changes voted down

Hibernian chief executive Leeann Dempster stressed that she was neither "bitter or upset'' after SPFL clubs voted against changing rules on the Premiership play-off levy.

The Easter Road club, supported by their Edinburgh rivals, Hearts, and also Motherwell, had proposed that only 25 per cent of gate receipt money from the six play-off fixtures should be put into a central pot rather than half.

All 42 clubs met at Hampden where the resolution, which needed 75 per cent approval from all four divisions, was beaten at the first stage when it failed to gain the support of the Premiership clubs.

Afterwards Dempster, whose club is in the play-offs, said:

"There has been discussion today, members have heard our perspective and decided not to agree with it which we are entirely okay with as it is a democratic process.

"I don't want to get hung up on this now.

"We took a reasoned position, other members didn't support it, we don't feel bitter or upset by that, that is the beauty of working in an organisation such as this.

"So we move on.''

The Scottish Football Association is funding the parachute payments to relegated top-flight clubs for the first two years of the reconstructed system.

Asked if the issue might rear its head again in the future, Dempster replied:

"You have to ask the other clubs whether or not they want to have a look at the situation with regards any levy and how parachute payments are funded.

"Payments need to be funded, clubs need to be supported at the point where they are at their lowest ebb, there is no doubt about that.

"We just now need to move on. It's not something we were hanging our hats on or are devastated about.

"The clubs have listened and the majority don't agree with our position. That's fine.

"We'll move on and do what we do best - that's playing football and improving the game in Scotland rather than get hung up on the differences.

"There's no bitterness at all.''

Meanwhile, clubs approved tough amendments to rules regarding insolvency. Currently, any club suffering an insolvency event is deducted 15 points, unless it is such a club's second insolvency event within five years, in which case the deduction is 25 points.

The amendment of SPFL rules was approved overwhelmingly by clubs and means that insolvency events that are part of the same insolvency process would be treated as a single deductible insolvency event.

Clubs subject to a deductible insolvency event would have fixed deductions of 15 points imposed immediately, plus a further five points in the immediately following season, unless it is such club's second insolvency event within five years, in which case the immediate points deduction would be 25 points, with a further 15 points deducted in the immediately following season.