New players union eyes TV cash

The newly-launched PFA Scotland players' union will make a run at Scottish football's TV income.

PFA Scotland will want a deal similar to the one struck in England, which is reaping the benefits of an enormous TV contract. The Scottish clubs are expected to balk at the bid. PFA Scotland will have an affiliation with the English PFA.

SPFA now has an uncertain future with the emergence of the PFA Scotland, as it appears the players are leaning toward joining the new union.

"I hope that all players in Scotland will see that this is an organisation which can cater for all of their needs," said Fraser Wishart, who is one of the founders of the new union. "I'm not having a go at the GMB in any way, but one of the reasons I left was that their rules and regulations do not cater for the expansion of the players' union I wanted.

"I think this will be a stronger union because the players themselves will be running it. If you have the players on board, then you can do most things. The key to it now is, 'What do the players want?' They have to tell me.

"In the initial stages, Gordon Taylor and the English PFA will underwrite us financially to a certain extent, but the business plan we have in place is very good and we will be self-sufficient in the very near future.

There are no hard feelings between the two unions.

"I wish PFA Scotland well," GMB Scotland secretary Harry Donaldson said. "The SPFA have been under our wing for around 25 years, but this is an opportunity for them to develop in conjunction with their English colleagues.

"I will speak to Fraser about the existing members of the SPFA and it is a matter for them to decide whether to join the new union. While they remain with us, we will continue to provide them with appropriate representation."

PFA Scotland plans to give financial advice and act as player agents for their members, with the latter service likely to ruffle feathers among existing agents.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.