Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian Owner Ann Budge has "decided to challenge" the Scottish Professional Football League's hierarchy by putting herself forward for a place on its board, according to Gordon Waddell of the Scotland DAILY RECORD. Rangers have also made their move to "return to the game’s powerbase" by putting new Managing Dir Stewart Robertson up for election. The league body's yearly boardroom "shake-up takes place at next Monday’s agm." Budge, who has been "outspoken on the way the game has been run over the past season, is gunning for one of the three Premiership seats on offer," currently held by Celtic Financial Dir Eric Riley, Aberdeen Dir Duncan Fraser and Dundee United Chair Stephen Thompson. Budge is "understood to be a favoured candidate" of the Scottish FA for a position in power. In a "surprise move," as well as the three current directors, she will also be "joined on the ballot paper" by new Kilmarnock Chair Jim Mann, despite only being four months into his role at Rugby Park. The competition for the Championship places "could be even fiercer, with four candidates going for their two allocated spots" (DAILY RECORD, 7/15).
