SPFL clubs hold talks with league over coronavirus concerns

The Scottish Professional Football League is holding conference calls with member clubs to hear concerns over coronavirus and the effects of the football shutdown.

All games in the league have been suspended indefinitely as Scotland works to fight the spread of the virus, and the SPFL and Scottish FA have formed a joint action group to lead a response to the crisis.

On Thursday, the league body is holding separate video conferences with Premiership, Championship, League 1 and League 2 clubs. They are expected to face questions on a number of concerns facing their members.

The most pressing subject is likely to be the financial impact of the shutdown. Most clubs are expected to struggle without matchday revenue for the foreseeable future.

The Scottish FA has already advanced £1.5m of club licensing and academy money but the effects of the postponements are being felt. On Wednesday, Hearts asked all players and staff to take a 50% pay cut and announced temporary closures to parts of the business at Tynecastle.

The league will also face questions on plans if play cannot be resumed in time to complete competitions this season.

League titles, European places, promotion and relegation are still to be settled across the four divisions and the SPFL will be asked on how those matters will be decided if the competitions are stopped entirely.

Several clubs have voiced strong opinions on the issue but Premiership side Livingston have backed the authorities to make the right decision for the good of the game.

A statement on the club website read: ” We’d like to make clear the club fully supports the decision to postpone all domestic football currently.

“The health and wellbeing of fans, players, staff and the general public must come first and as frustrating and inconvenient as the current situation is, protecting everyone is the number one priority.

“Whichever course of action the SFA & SPFL decide to take, they will have the full support of Livingston FC as it’s during this time of national emergency that we all need to pull together. No outcome is going to suit everyone but as a club, we’ll support whichever option the governing bodies opt for.”