Hearts and Partick Thistle fined £2500 by the Scottish Football Association for taking court action

Hearts and Partick Thistle have each been fined £2500 by the Scottish Football Association for taking the SPFL to court to fight their relegation.

The pair were fined following a Scottish Football Association disciplinary hearing.

The SFA's disciplinary rule 78 states that "no member shall take a dispute which is referable to arbitration to a court of law except as expressly permitted."

Both clubs wanted to reverse their relegation after the 2019-20 season was curtailed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Hearts were bottom of the Scottish Premiership, while Partick Thistle were bottom of the Championship with both clubs being relegated when the season was decided on a points per game average.

A three-person panel ruled against the clubs last week after the Court of Session referred the case to the SFA's arbitration process.

At a disciplinary tribunal on Thursday, the SFA decided to fine both clubs for taking legal action against the SPFL in Scotland's supreme civil court in Edinburgh.

Hearts were four points adrift at the foot of the Premiership when the season was suspended on March 13, resulting in their second relegation in six years.

Both clubs say they now want to move on from the row.

In a joint statement, they said: "Hearts and Partick Thistle acknowledge the decision of a SFA Judicial Panel earlier today.

"Whilst we are naturally disappointed by this outcome, we nevertheless consider that the sanction applied by the Panel reflects that the petition issued by the clubs before the Court of Session was brought in good faith.

"We look forward to putting these matters behind us and focusing on the season ahead."