Scottish Football Clubs Owe More Than £22m To Government In Covid Loans

More than £22m successful Covid-related loans from nan Scottish authorities to shot clubs remained outstanding astatine nan extremity of nan past financial year, it has been revealed pursuing a Guardian state of accusation petition connected nan eve of a caller Scottish Premiership season.

Eleven clubs, past each successful nan apical flight, opted to return interest-free loans totalling £25.26m successful 2021 to assistance pinch business betterment from nan pandemic. While position connected nan loans mean afloat repayment is not owed until 2042, nan standard of moneys still outstanding is apt to move heads arsenic galore top-flight outfits proceed to walk freely and person decent transportation fees for players. Several clubs person besides received important European revenues complete caller seasons. Clubs little down nan Scottish shot nutrient concatenation besides received Covid grants. Two of them, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Dumbarton, person subsequently entered administration.

Celtic were nan 1 Premiership nine who declined nan action of a Covid loan. Aberdeen received a costs of much than £3.11m, of which £402,871 had been repaid by 31 March. The Pittodrie nine sold Bojan Miovski to Girona for a reported club-record interest of £6.8m past year.

Dundee United’s equilibrium was £2.66m from a £2.81m loan. Hamilton, who are now successful League One, had paid backmost conscionable £20,000 connected £1.15m. Hibernian had £2.5m outstanding from a £2.88m loan, Kilmarnock had repaid £236,000 of £1.82m and Livingston’s £1.78m had been reduced by £147,559. Hibs collapsed their transportation grounds of £700,000 to motion Togo world striker Thibault Klidjé from Luzern this summer.

Motherwell claimed a £2.95m loan, pinch £2.57m outstanding arsenic nan financial twelvemonth ended. Rangers’ £3.2m had been reduced by £413,333. Rangers reported club-record gross of £94m past year. St Mirren took a £1.76m loan, of which £176,400 had been paid backmost by 31 March. Ross County and St Johnstone, some relegated astatine nan extremity of nan past Premiership season, took loans of £1.15m and £2.6m respectively. Ross County had repaid £149,575 and St Johnstone £335,833. The wide equilibrium towards nan nationalist purse, therefore, sat astatine £22,473,208 connected 31 March.

The Scottish authorities has besides confirmed costs position person been renegotiated complete nan play pinch Dundee United, Hamilton, Livingston and St Johnstone. The authorities considers nan level of engagement pinch nan clubs successful mobility to beryllium satisfactory.

Terms reported astatine nan clip of nan loans being agreed stipulated elder guidance astatine clubs were prohibited from taking bonuses and above-inflation salary rises until moneys had been afloat repaid.

The Scottish Professional Football League declined to comment.