Ann Budge and Leeann Dempster elected to SPFL board

Hibs chief executive Leeann Dempster has been elected to the SPFL board at the expense of Dundee United chairman and former board member Stephen Thompson.

Hibs chief Leeann Dempster will serve alongside Hearts owner Ann Budge on the SPFL board. Picture: John Devlin

Dempster, along with Thompson and Raith Rovers director Eric Drysdale, applied for one of the two places available for representatives of Scottish Championship clubs.

Thompson quit the board in acrimonious circumstances last season after Dundee United were docked points for fielding an ineligible player in their win over Inverness CT.

However, he reversed his decision and reapplied to be named as one of the Championship representatives, which he would have had to do regardless of the previous resignation, but was beaten out by Dempster and Drysdale.

Hearts owner Ann Budge has had her place on the board confirmed. She was elected alongside Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell and Ian Maxwell of Partick Thistle as the only three to apply for the trio of places available.

Her success comes a year to the day after she failed in her attempts to win election to the board.

Along with the aforementioned representatives, the SPFL board is completed with Brechin City’s Ken Ferguson, SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chairman Ralph Topping and independent non-executive director Karyn McCluskey.

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