THE Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) are set to re-examine the 2016/17 Ladbrokes Premiership fixture list after being inundated with complaints from irate representatives of top flight clubs.
The schedule of matches for the new campaign has been severely criticised by many clubs after it emerged that three clubs would have four home games against Celtic and Rangers - while another three would only have two.
Hamilton Academical, Motherwell and Partick Thistle are all aggrieved after being given just one game against Scottish champions Celtic and one against Championship winners Rangers at home. Dundee, Hearts and Inverness Caledonian, meanwhile, have two each against the Parkhead and Ibrox clubs at home.
Hamilton, Motherwell and Partick Thistle all believe the fixture list puts opponents who they hope to be vying against for top six spots and Europa League places at a huge financial and sporting advantage.
Motherwell have estimated that they make in the region of £150,000 from a game against one of the Glasgow clubs at Fir Park - meaning they will bank £300,000 less than their opponents. That is enough to pay the salaries of six of their players.
Motherwell officials believe that staff could lose their jobs as a result of the discrepancies and have raised the possibility of demanding financial compensation from the SPFL.
Partick Thistle have also expressed unhappiness they weren't informed of the possibility of some clubs being handed fewer games against Celtic and Rangers when they were budgeting for the new season.
It is difficult to see how the governing body can alter the fixture list at this late stage with the new top flight campaign set to get underway on the first Saturday in August.
However, Hamilton, Motherwell and Partick, who have received private messages of support from many of their top flight rivals, have all made representations to senior officials at the under-fire organisation.
The SPFL have so far declined to comment publicly on the row which has erupted since the fixtures were released on Friday, but the clubs are optimistic their complaints will be listened to and changes can be made.
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