President of historic SPFL club quits due to ‘increased level of personal and online abuse'
STANDING DOWN President of historic SPFL club quits due to 'increased level of personal and online abuse'
THE president of Queen's Park has quit due to what he claims is 'an increased level of personal and online abuse'.
Graeme Shields has stood down from that role and his position on the Championship club's committee with immediate effect.
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Graeme Shields has stood down as president of Queen's Park. Image: Queen's Park
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The team landed a famous Scottish Cup win over Rangers in February
Credit: Getty
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But the club is facing an uncertain future after Willie Haughey chose to end his financial backing
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
The Spiders have endured a turbulent time both on and off the pitch over the past six months.
Callum Davidson was sacked as boss just WEEKS after leading the team to a famous Scottish Cup win over Rangers at Ibrox.
Sean Crighton was appointed as his replacement in May after helping the interim coaching team avoid relegation with an eighth-placed finish.
The team - now back playing at Lesser Hampden after leaving the main stadium next door - opened this season with a draw away to Raith Rovers before losing 3-1 at home to Arbroath yesterday.
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Queen's are also facing an uncertain period off the field after SunSport revealed back in March that Willie Haughey was going to pull his financial backing of the historic club in 2026.
His support allowed the club to end its famous amateur status and become a full-time professional set-up in 2020 while he also spent millions developing Lesser Hampden into the venue now known as the City Stadium and transformed their current Lochinch training base.
The club announced in May that they have been spending almost £6m a year – with Shields telling fans Queen's would need to make around £4.7m in savings to cope with Haughey's departure at the end of the season.
The Spiders have also closed down their academy to try to make more cost reductions.
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These moves have brought the club's hierarchy under fire from supporters unhappy with how things are being run.
And Shields claims the abuse has now got too much and stepped away from the club he's supported for 40 years.
Inside Queen's Park's wild dressing room celebrations as Scottish Cup heroes party after shocking Rangers
He said: 'I have taken this decision after much deliberation, particularly having experienced an increased level of personal and online abuse towards myself and others associated with the club in recent months.
'Having overseen the successful completion of our safety certificate at the City Stadium and the SFA annual club licencing audit, the time is now right to step away.
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'I wish Sean Crighton and all the players and staff at the club every success this season.'
The news was welcomed by some Queen's fans.
One reacted to the announcement on X by saying: 'A disgrace of a president who has treated the fans with utter contempt throughout his term.
'He takes as much accountability as all the others with the current mess of the club.'
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