HIBS captain David Gray insists Edinburgh rivals Hearts would be a loss to the Scottish Premiership if they are relegated.
The SPFL have tabled a proposal to end the Championship, League One and League Two with immediate effect, with promotions and relegations dished out based on a points per game ratio.
Should the plan gain the support of 75 per cent of the 42 member clubs, it will pass and would then be replicated in the Premiership if the top-flight fixtures cannot be fulfilled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Celtic would be crowned champions and Hearts would drop down to the Championship in that scenario.
Gray can watch the drama unfold with a degree of calmness, given Hibs sit in the comfort of mid-table, but the Edinburgh-born defender takes no joy from the Jambos’ potential misery.
He said: “If you are making Celtic champions and going off the standings as they are, then that [Hearts’ relegation] is what needs to happen.
“But from my point of view, you want to see Hearts in the Premiership – definitely.
“The derbies are fantastic games to be involved in, it’s a fixture we all look forward to and it’s better for Scottish football to have the top teams in the top league.
“But they are where they are in the league and it will be interesting to see how that plays out.”
Gray is similarly relaxed about the prospect of the Hoops claiming their ninth title in a row in unique circumstances.
And reckons the Hoops, who lead Rangers by 13 points, have done enough to earn the trophy.
He added: “You only have to look at the league table. I think Celtic have been the most consistent team all through the season.
“It would be a difficult one for Rangers supporters to take but I’m sure they would appreciate that Celtic are top of the league and have done very well.
“I’m just delighted it’s not me that has to make decisions like these!”
Meanwhile, Gray is adamant the decision to defer wages across the board was a ‘no brainer’ for the Hibs first-team squad. The majority of staff have also been placed on furlough leave during the Scottish football shut-down.
SEVERITY
However, he has nothing but praise for the way the club navigated a thorny topic at a testing time.
Gray told PLZ Soccer: “Everybody understands the severity of the situation and it was a no-brainer when you think about it. The club have got bills to play, staff to look after and there’s no money coming in because no-one is paying to watch football.
“The club were very good. They [the board] had a conversation about their ideas and what they wanted to present to the players, and then they got me involved.
“The gaffer [Jack Ross] and I had a few good chats with Graeme Mathie and other members of the board and they were very productive.
“I was included all the way along and once we got to a place we were happy with, we introduced it to the rest of the players and they all bought into it.”
