First Team
Match Report | Rangers 1-1 Dundee United
23rd November 2024
Dundee United Football Club today expressed deep concern at remarks made by the SFA President and reported in a weekend newspaper, in connection with complaints made by the Club in respect of our recent game at Ibrox.
Dundee United wrote to the Scottish Football Association lodging their official complaint on the standard of refereeing at the above game. As far as we are aware, we have not yet received a reply from the SFA to our communication. Our communication, of course, was backed by the referee's own report and the SPL Delegate Report which supported everything Dundee United Football Club had stated previously.
However, the matter has moved on significantly with effect from yesterday with, it would appear, the SFA President, George Peat, now taking an active part in proceedings with his own comments. Dundee United wish to record their deep concern that the SFA President has spoken out in his capacity as President of the SFA before the General Purposes Committee has decided if there is a case to answer. In our opinion, his comments will undoubtedly influence the General Purposes Committee's view on this matter and are highly prejudicial in the extreme. Dundee United see this as a massive breach of procedure on the part of the SFA. The use of the word "criminal" by the SFA President in yesterday's newspaper has meant, unfortunately, that we, as a Club, will now have to seek legal advice on this matter. The question is - should the SFA President prejudge what is going to happen at a General Purposes Committee and go "public" before any action has been taken by the General Purposes Committee? We would strongly suggest that this would breach all the rules and would be prejudicial to a fair hearing.
Dundee United wrote to the Scottish Football Association lodging their official complaint on the standard of refereeing at the above game. As far as we are aware, we have not yet received a reply from the SFA to our communication. Our communication, of course, was backed by the referee's own report and the SPL Delegate Report which supported everything Dundee United Football Club had stated previously.
However, the matter has moved on significantly with effect from yesterday with, it would appear, the SFA President, George Peat, now taking an active part in proceedings with his own comments. Dundee United wish to record their deep concern that the SFA President has spoken out in his capacity as President of the SFA before the General Purposes Committee has decided if there is a case to answer. In our opinion, his comments will undoubtedly influence the General Purposes Committee's view on this matter and are highly prejudicial in the extreme. Dundee United see this as a massive breach of procedure on the part of the SFA. The use of the word "criminal" by the SFA President in yesterday's newspaper has meant, unfortunately, that we, as a Club, will now have to seek legal advice on this matter. The question is - should the SFA President prejudge what is going to happen at a General Purposes Committee and go "public" before any action has been taken by the General Purposes Committee? We would strongly suggest that this would breach all the rules and would be prejudicial to a fair hearing.
