Sport: Football SFA boss suspended

See Also: Controversies - Cadete and Farry
Monday, March 1, 1999

The Scottish Football Association has suspended its Chief Executive, Jim Farry, in a row over the transfer of a Celtic player three years ago.

Mr Farry had vowed to carry on but the suspension was announced on Monday. He and Celtic Managing Director Fergus McCann are in dispute over Jorge Cadete's move to Parkhead three years ago. A statement read by SFA Vice-President John McBeth said: "The Scottish Football Association advises that the arbitration raised by Celtic against the SFA has been settled by the parties prior to completion of the arbitration.

"The settlement is in favour of Celtic. The SFA has issued a letter of apology to Celtic, will make payment of an undisclosed sum of compensation to Celtic and will make payment of Celtic's reasonable legal expenses in connection with the case. The SFA also advises that its chief executive Jim Farry has been suspended on full pay. Due to the legal nature of this matter, the SFA will not make further comment presently."

Celtic had said the SFA delayed the player's registration, leaving him ineligible to play in a cup tie against Rangers. The BBC's sports reporter Roddy Forsyth said: "The notion that a player was held out of a game against Rangers that Celtic ultimately lost is rather explosive." Mr Farry was adamant he would carry on working at the association's Park Gardens headquarters even if the inquiry, headed by John Murray QC, went against him. "I have absolutely no intention to resign. To say that is mischief making," he told the Daily Mail.
Cadete moved to Celtic in 1996 from Sporting Lisbon but was forced to miss a Scottish Cup semi-final clash against Rangers, which the Ibrox club won 2-1. Mr Farry has courted controversy during his career at the SFA helm and has survived several calls for his resignation.

One of his most troubled passages involved the decision to sanction the playing of a Scotland World Cup qualifying match on the day of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. He said: "I have received notification from my employer that the SFA may require to carry out an additional investigation of certain issues arising from the dispute between Celtic and the SFA.

"I indicated I would be pleased to co-operate with any such additional investigation which will be the third review since the player was registered for Celtic on March 30 1996. "It is normal, I understand - although it is a first for me - that when an employer notifies you of a suspension pending the outcome of a proposed investigation, it is nice to comply."

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