Court date set for Hearts and Partick Thistle against SPFL

Hearts and Partick's case against the SPFL will be heard next week.

The Court of Session in Edinburgh will hear Hearts’ and Partick Thistle’s case against the Scottish Professional Football League next week.

The initial hearing will be conducted via video conference starting at 11am on Wednesday, July 1, in front of Lord Clark. It was put back a day having originally been scheduled for Tuesday.

Both clubs launched a joint case to have their relegations overturned last week. Should that fail, they are claiming £8million and £2million respectively in compensation.

The SPFL argue that they acted legally in relegating Hearts, Partick Thistle and Stranraer given more than 80 per cent of member clubs voted to end the 2019/20 season early after coronavirus struck.

Hearts had eight league games outstanding at the time, Thistle and Stranraer each had nine.

The SPFL had until today to answer the petition, as did Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers, whose promotions would be blocked if the relegations are reversed.

League reconstruction plans would have allowed promotions but no relegations after football stopped to the global pandemic.

However, there was insufficient support among the 42 SPFL clubs to change the current structure, prompting Hearts and Partick to begin legal action.

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