Dutch clubs agree KNVB compensation deal for not taking cases over early season end to Court of Arbitration for Sport

AS Scottish football braces itself for an explosion of legal battles, Dutch football clubs have accepted hefty compensation from their FA in return for not taking their cases against their premature season's end to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Hearts and Patrick Thistle's legal attempts to avoid relegation and prevent promoted clubs from going up has dropped a bombshell on Scottish football, with the SFA now poised to decide whether to punish the Tynecastle and Firhill clubs.

And the SPFL and SFA are sure to note developments in the Netherlands with interest, after FC Utrecht, Cambuur, De Graafschap, NAC Breda and FC Volendam all agreed jointly to halt legal proceedings in return for hefty compensation from the KNVB.

The Dutch are one of only four countries along with Scotland, France and Belgium to abandon their season early - although they decided NOT to award the title with only goal difference separating Ajax from AZ Alkmaar at the top.

Utrecht were outraged the season was ended after they had reached the Dutch Cup Final and missed out on a European spot.

Also sitting in sixth place in the league, they had threatened to take their case to the Swiss-based highest sporting court.

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They were awarded £500,000 from the KNVB, but director Thijs van Es pointed out: "The Netherlands and Scotland are the only countries where the Cup Finals won't be played this season.

"We offered to play the Cup Final in Germany or even in the Dutch colony of Bonaire, but the KNVB have refused to entertain this.

"It's an incredibly bitter pill to swallow and the compensation means little. We have been robbed.

"But we cannot go any further with our legal proceedings."

Cambuur were top of the Dutch second tier and received £350,000.

Their chief executive, Ard de Graaf, said: "We could have continued to fight, but we have no guarantee of winning and we have decided for the good of Dutch football to accept the settlement."

The other clubs who were compensated included De Graafschap, who were awarded £275,000 after being in second place in the second tier and NAC Breda and FC Volendam, who both received £40,000 after being in the play-off spots.

KNVB director Eric Gudde said: "We are pleased this is finally over. It's worth reiterating that we firmly believe we handled this correctly, having taken guidance from UEFA."

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