'Renegade 10' defiant ahead of SPL meet

The renegade 10 clubs were still in defiant mood ahead of this morning’s Scottish Premier League EGM at Hampden Park.

Their war over television rights with the Old Firm is set to be resolved after Rangers and Celtic both backed the BBC’s bid last night, but the SPL’s current voting structure remains an issue.

The 10 non-Old Firm SPL clubs have threatened to resign from the League and could carry out their threat if the current 11-1 majority system is not amended.

The clubs want it changed to 8-4 to prevent a repeat of the way the Old Firm pulled the plug on the proposed SPL TV channel in April.

That move sparked the long-running war of words between Rangers and Celtic and the rest of the SPL and, although a TV deal could be rubber-stamped today, the "Gang of 10" could still go through with their threat of resignation.

Speaking on his way into today’s meeting, Dunfermline chairman John Yorkston said: "We are hoping the TV deal will be ratified, but we are still waiting to hear what will happen with radio and other media rights.

"The threat of resignation is very real and we will find out over the next hour or two what is happening.

"If that happens, it will be the same as normal for the next two years but, after that, there will be a new League.

"There are no victors - we just hope Scottish football is victorious."

He added: "I have a paper here with the 104 points we have to agree to - I haven’t even read it.

"The EGM is to discuss the voting rights, although there will be other business discussed as well.

"But the voting rights is the item on the agenda, but I’m not optimistic."