Celtic and Hibs officials elected to SPFL board as vote passes on rule changes for 2026/27 season
Seven individuals from across Scottish football clubs to serve alongside SPFL group chief executive Neil Doncaster and others.
The seven club representatives who will serve on the Scottish Professional Football League board for the 2026/27 season have been elected.
The 42 member clubs voted at the recent AGM to confirm the appointments. They will serve alongside SPFL group chief executive Neil Doncaster, chairman Murdoch MacLennan and independent non-executive director Karyn McCluskey.
The SPFL Board includes three William Hill Premiership representatives, two from the William Hill Championship and two covering William Hill League 1 and League 2, one as an alternate director. These seven representative chosen are:
William Hill Premiership
- Michael Nicholson (Celtic FC)
- Malcolm McPherson (Hibernian FC)
- Phyllis Carroll (Kilmarnock FC)
William Hill Championship
- Willie Houston (Ayr United FC)
- David Cook (Dunfermline Athletic FC)
William Hill League 1 and League 2
- Andy Allan (Alloa Athletic FC)
- Iain Dougan (Stranraer FC) as alternate director
Michael Nicholson currently works as the Director of Legal and Football Affairs at Celtic in a role he has held since 2019. Malcolm McPherson is a non-executive director at Hibs and a former chairman of the Easter Road outfit.
Phyllis Carroll is the current Managing Director of Kilmarnock, a role she has held since 2022. David Cook is the current chairman and CEO at Dunfermline Athletic, William Houston and Andy Allan serve as a directors at Ayr United and Alloa Athletic respectively and Iain Dougan is chairman of Stranraer.
At the recent meeting clubs also voted to approve changes to SPFL Rules. A statement from the SPFL on the rule changes said: “These included introducing minimum machinery and staffing requirements for William Hill Premiership clubs in order to continue to improve standards of natural grass and hybrid surfaces in the top flight.
“Further changes included amendments to improve the process around SPFL Compensation Tribunals, and amendments to restrictions placed on clubs under a registration embargo.”
Fixtures for the 2026/26 season across all four SPFL divisions are set to be announced later this month. The competition organisers will release the schedules on Thursday, June 18 at noon.
The William Hill Premiership, William Hill Championship, William League 1 and William Hill League 2 will all kick off on the weekend of August 1/2.
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