SCOTTISH football clubs who become insolvent in the future will be hit with harsher punishments than before.

At yesterday's SPFL general meeting, the member clubs "overwhelming approved" tighter penalties be handed down compared to those suffered by Rangers and Hearts.

It was agreed that any club who entered administration would from now have 15 points deducted immediately with a further five point reduction the following season.

And if a club entered what was described as an "insolvency event" for the second time in five years then it would lose 25 points straight away and 15 the next season.

As it stood, there was a 15 point and 25 points punishment for the respective crimes, but nothing would be carried on into the following league campaign.

This would obviously make it harder for any club relegated because of a points reductions to then immediately win promotion the following season.

In the past six years, Dundee, Dunfermline Athletic and Livingston have been forced into administration. Indeed, Dundee and Livingston have gone through the process twice.

And before that Clydebank and Gretna went out of business as Scottish football as whole suffered huge financial problems.

And a proposal put forward by Hibernian, Hearts and Motherwell to cut the amount of cash distributed to clubs who are not part of the three play-off finals at the end of this season was thrown out.

Clubs outwith the play-offs received a share of 50% of money generated through gate receipts and the three clubs wanted to half that to 25%.

It was suggested that overall it would cost the other 38 clubs in the region of £500,000, every club not involved would receive a payment, so it was no surprise the majority voted against the proposal, something League bosses had recommended.

Hibs and Motherwell could face one another in the Premiership play-off, a test Hearts avoided by winning promotion last month.

The SPFL board stated last month that it would be unfair to make any amendments so late in the season when it would only benefit a few clubs.

In a statement, Leeann Dempster, Chief Executive of Hibernian, said: "There was a good discussion at the General Meeting on the Play Off Levy and we accept the considered will of Member Clubs.

"In truth, the debate began in October last year when the Board of the SPFL brought forward its resolution on minimum pricing and the eligibility of Season Tickets which prompted the debate around the Levy at a time when the Parachute payment if fully funded by the Scottish FA.

"The matter has been concluded and the focus should now be on the important matches we face in the coming weeks, starting with the match against Alloa Athletic here on Saturday."