An open email to the SFA

To: George Peat; Campbell Ogilive

Sent: 12 April 2011; 15:01

Dear George and Campbell,

Could you please advise us as to when you will be commenting officially on allegations that a culture either does or has existed within the Scottish Football Association that is hostile to one of its member clubs? This has, I am sure you will agree, become more pertinent in the light of recent reporting that an email detailing the remuneration of a former player from a member club was sent by an office-bearer to senior figures within the SFA, with an appended note directly insulting Celtic.

I trust you recognise the seriousness of the allegations and, given the "tiresome" activities of the club in question in continually embarrassing an organisation that appears to be institutionally dysfunctional, I'm sure you would not allow such rumours to go unchallenged if untrue. That would have the undesirable effect of strengthening the suspicion in some quarters that the impartiality of the SFA cannot be presumed.

Indeed, it would be dangerous to the standing of the game in Scotland as well as the the SFA to allow malicious comment to spread when it seems to call into question your individual integrity and ability to remain in office or for the SFA as a body to administer the game.

Note, for example, the decision today not to ban two Rangers players who had been charged with misconduct, one of whom was guilty of laying hands on a referee in an attempt to physically prevent him from doing his job. Contrast that with the SFA's recent statement "regretting" that the Association's lawyers had advised it that punishing the Celtic manager Neil Lennon in breach of the Association's own rules was "legally unenforceable", indicating a preference to penalise the Celtic manager in excess of allowable standards. This is the sort of area that would come under increased scrutiny, should allegations of members circulating emails amongst senior office-bearers mocking a member club without comment or censure.

I understand from SFA sources close to that most erudite of journalists, Hugh Keevins, that you have been taking legal advice. I would urge you to launch a full investigation, which given the allegations involved, must necessarily be independent, and to publish its findings in full.

Should the allegations prove false, you can be sure of the same fair-minded and unbiased backing from the Celtic support that you have extended to our club.
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