Dunfermline chairman answers Inverness Caledonian Thistle's claims of threats against club in build up to SPFL vote
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Dunfermline Athletic chairman Ross McArthur has responded to Inverness Caledonian Thistle's claims that they were threatened in the build up to last month's SPFL vote.
McArthur was never mentioned by name in Caley Thistle's statement, which backed Rangers' calls for an independent investigation into the vote and said they would testify that threats were made against the club by an SPFL board member.
But he has issued a response to the Inverness statement, attempting to set the record straight on Dunfermline's club website and in turn accusing ICT of being the aggressive party.
"As confirmed by their own leaked What'sApp message group, I clearly [messaged] as Dunfermline Athletic FC chairman and NOT as an SPFL Board Member (as was expressly agreed and verified, before the call with other Championship clubs)," McArthur's statement read.
"It most certainly wasn't a threat, simply a potential consequence of their action not to back the SPFL resolution currently put in front of them, in favour of a counter resolution which was being mooted at that time.
"This resolution would effectively have the same consequence as a "null and void" conclusion to the league season, but the SPFL central distribution monies would still be provided to clubs on their current standing. This was not going to be acceptable to Dunfermline Athletic, Alloa Athletic, Greenock Morton, Queen of the South and Arbroath.
"This had been openly highlighted the previous evening, during a video conference call of all but one Championship club, and raised by two Championship at the time. This meeting was set up by me in good faith.
"Therefore, the communication to the chairman of Inverness, on Friday April 10 was that any vote in favour of an alternative resolution like this, should the existing one fail, may be entirely dependent on all clubs in the SPFL Championship obtaining an equal ("one 10th") of the attributable distribution pot for the Championship."
Inverness are one of a group of clubs ready to support the claims for an independent investigation into the vote at the SPFL EGM to be held tomorrow morning.
Read the full Dunfermline Athletic statement.
