Donald Findlay will not be stepping down as chairman of Cowdenbeath FC, despite receiving a suspicious package addressed to him.
The top Scottish QC was the target of a possible sectarian-related incident when the package was found at Central Park, the club’s ground, on May 16. It was believed this was a retaliatory gesture after the death threats to Celtic FC manager Neil Lennon and due to Mr Findlay’s previous ties with Rangers FC.
The package was discovered by staff member John Cameron at the west Fife ground after it was picked up from the Royal Mail depot and he notified the police. Officers, including bomb disposal experts, then sealed off adjoining streets and the football ground was evacuated.
A Royal Mail spokesman said, “Royal Mail is aware of a suspect package at Cowdenbeath Football Club yesterday morning. Any inquiries should be referred to Fife Constabulary.”
The police have confirmed that the suspicious package was not a bomb and was designed to “cause alarm” to Mr Findlay, who was formerly Rangers vice-chairman and is known for his support of unionism in Scotland.
There had been some fears that the incident may lead to Mr Findlay standing down as chairman of Cowdenbeath but chairman of The Cowden Trust, Stuart Juner, said he hoped this would not happen as he valued a person of Mr Findlay’s “standing.”
And Scott Brewster, one of the directors at Cowdenbeath FC, told The Courier that he had heard “nothing” of this and that it would be “business as usual” at the club.
“I have not been contacted by Donald himself but I have not heard that he will be leaving the club,” he said.
He admitted that the club had been shocked by the whole incident.
“It’s a shame that it happened in the first place but it’s also hard to believe that it took place outside the Old Firm that’s pretty shocking,” he added.
There have been suggestions that a knife was sent in the package, but police refused to disclose what was actually in it for “operational reasons.”
A spokesman said, “We don’t want to talk about what was in the package in case the same thing is sent again. It’s a case of trying to calm and reassure the public. We are continuing our investigations into this incident.”
Mr Findlay is the latest in a line of high-profile people to be targeted in what are believed to be sectarian-related incidents. Last month packages of explosives were sent to Neil Lennon, Paul McBride and former MSP Trish Godman, a Celtic supporter.