5 Aug 2008SPL under threat from ref strike

Football Finance News | Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media | Football Supporters News

The first game in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) calendar could be delayed this weekend because of a possible referee strike.

The Scottish Referees' Association (SRA) are threatening a strike because a satisfactory financial agreement is yet to be reached with the SPL.

A meeting took place yesterday (Monday) and further appointments are expected to occur throughout the week to avoid the possibility of strike action.

A spokesman for the SPL told the BBC that the league expected the matter to be resolved soon.

Referees are rumoured to be holding out for a fee of £800 a match, although they have been promised a price of £600 a match which equates to a £25 per match increase.

Some reports have even suggested they are asking for a fee of £1,000 per match.

According to the Glasgow Daily Record, an insider said that fans should be "prepared" for a delayed start to the season.

"Unless the SPL have a major rethink, Saturday's fixtures are in doubt," the unnamed source said.

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