Hearts: Owner Ann Budge wants reconstruction done in three weeks

Hearts owner Ann Budge says "speed is of the essence" if reconstruction has a "fighting chance" of being agreed.

Budge and Hamilton's Les Gray are heading up a taskforce on a reorganisation of the SPFL next term, after a vote in favour of ending the lower league season early was passed.

Hearts would be relegated if the Premiership takes the same stance, with Budge wanting a three-week turnaround.

"Do I have some doubts? I do," she told BBC Scotland.

"But if we can quickly enough and transparently enough give everybody a say and avoid some of the mistakes made previously, then we have a fighting chance to get a reasoned and sensible vote.

"I would like to see that happening very, very quickly. A couple of weeks. Other people are saying end of May. I think end of May is too long, but I might be proved wrong.

"As quickly as possible get to the point where we can say this is what we think can work for the coming season and it will resolve the issue of unfairness. Two or three weeks maximum."

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The contentious ballot to end the lower league season was eventually pushed through, with Championship club Dundee voting in favour on Wednesday after retracting their no vote last week.

The resolution meant Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers were named champions of the Championship, League One and League Two, respectively, while Partick Thistle, bottom of the second tier by two points but with a game in hand and Stranraer, League One's bottom side by eight points, dropped down a division.

However, potential league reconstruction would see United, Raith and Cove promoted along with two extra teams entering League Two, with no relegation for Hearts, Thistle or Stranraer.

As well as leading to a delay in an outcome, the allowing of Dundee's U-turn triggered a tumultuous five days which has led to Rangers calling for an investigation into the process and the suspension of SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster and legal adviser Rod McKenzie.

Budge, whose club are bottom of the Premiership by four points with eight games left, insists she does not support the view of suspending Doncaster, but has thrown her support behind Rangers' call for an independent inquiry.

"We need to try to draw line under it and if we don't have an independent inquiry I don't think a line will ever be drawn under it," added Budge. "I think it's essential.

"People would then at least [know] this has been looked at, problems have been highlighted and maybe, just maybe, we won't make the same mistakes again."