Dons chairman calls for summit on state of the game in Scotland

Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne wants Scottish football’s governing bodies to meet to address a “genuine concern for the state of the game”.

The Dons chief is urging SPFL Chief Exec Neil Doncaster to sit down with SFA bosses – saying clubs and football bosses risk losing credibility and the fans if there isn’t “consistency and transparency”.

Refereeing decisions and the scheduling of the League Cup semi-finals have caused controversy in recent weeks.

In a statement on the Aberdeen FC website, Stewart Milne said: “I very much feel there is genuine concern for the state of the game in Scotland at the moment. We simply must have consistency and transparency or we all, as Clubs, the SFA and the SPFL lose significant credibility and risk losing the fans who have been baffled by several of the outcomes arrived at recently. Without supporters there is no game and they, as we all do, deserve far more clarity and transparency than we have at present.

“There are so many positives in our game right now, from a great crop of top-class managers, to a very competitive Ladbrokes Premiership and two cracking Betfred Cup semi-finals to look forward to, yet conversations and news headlines seem to be dominated by the several controversial decisions that have been arrived at, and we’re only just into October, without having a clear understanding of the process and the reasons these were arrived at.

“It’s imperative that we get everyone with a vested interest together, sooner rather than later, in order that future decisions can be clearly explained to the fans who must always be the main consideration."