The very fact the SPFL were embroiled in a row with a member club and league sponsor in the first place was, in a strange way, a positive in itself for the league body.
Neil Doncaster was heavily criticised during a period when him and his team couldn’t find someone willing to pay the money to put their name to the league.
But that is scant consolation after Rangers won their season-long argument over displaying cinch branding.
SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan said at the time it was “very disappointing that one of our clubs has not felt able to deliver inventory to cinch".
The Ibrox side, though, argued they had “immediately notified Neil Doncaster” that they would be “unable to provide (cinch) with many of their rights” due to a “pre-existing contractual obligation".
Rangers relied on rule 7.1 in the SPFL rulebook’s section I: “Commercial, broadcast and sponsorship” which states that “a club shall not be obliged to comply” with league rules if it meant “that cub being in breach of a contractual obligation entered into prior to the commercial contract concerned being approved to be entered into” by the SPFL.
Ibrox chairman Douglas Park’s motor group is of course a rival of cinch and having been forced to agree a revised deal, the SPFL said it "will remain materially unchanged” as they (sort of) claimed a victory of their own.
But there is no doubt there are questions to answer over the £8million deal brokered by an agency that will receive £500,000 over the duration of the five-year deal.
Doncaster is in the firing line once again and it’s a position he has often found himself in during his 13 years in Scottish football and here Record Sport looks at some of the most controversial episodes during his time.
Armageddon
This is a word that will forever be associated with Doncaster as he painted a grim financial picture for clubs if they voted for Rangers to start life in Scottish football’s bottom tier back in that chaotic summer of 2012.
It was, along with then SFA supremo Stewart Regan, undoubtedly his most challenging time in charge until Covid forced the season to shut down two years ago.
Deciding what to do with Rangers at that time left him in a no-win situation with one side accusing him of trying to kick the Ibrox side while they were down - and others claiming by using his ‘armageddon’ prediction that he was trying to scare clubs into keeping them in the top flight.
Years later in an interview with the Daily Mail, he said: “I did say it, but it was in connection with the reality of clubs facing relegation from what was then the SPL.
“They did face a financial Armageddon from relegation. That was the context I used it in. It was used in connection with other matters by others..."
Fixture farce I
“The way in which Scottish football is being run really does need to be examined and explored.”
The words of Ann Budge after Hearts said they would make a formal complaint about Doncaster’s handling of their Championship fixture row.
That came in 2015 after their final fixture of the season against Rangers was moved from Saturday to May 2 to Sunday May 3… and then back to its original date!
It was as a result of a complaint from Hibs who accused the SPFL of compromising sporting integrity if Rangers, their play-off rivals, had been allowed to play a day later on the final day when games traditionally all share the same kick off time.
Fixture farce II (almost)
The bungling beaks faced a real panic situation here with Hibs looking like reaching the Scottish Cup final and Premiership play off-final - due to be played within 24 hours of each other!
Record Sport revealed at the time Doncaster had drafted an emergency plan to shift the final leg of the play-off to the first week of June.
That in itself caused problems with many players contracts having expired before then but they were saved any embarrassment by a Falkirk win over Hibs in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
Semi-final shambles
There have been plenty of bonkers ideas in Scottish football but playing two semi-finals in the same stadium on the same day? That takes some beating.
Scottish football reacted with astonishment at the plan for Rangers v Aberdeen and Celtic v Hearts to take place within hours of each other.
“It’s the craziest thing I’ve probably experienced in football,” said then Hearts boss Craig Levein.
“How they have come to this decision is just beyond belief. It’s just madness, honestly. There are so many things that could go wrong.”
Thankfully, they came to their senses with Levein’s Hearts taking on the Hoops at Murrayfield.
Sponsorship struggles
The SPFL went TWO SEASONS without a sponsor from the end of the Clydesdale Bank deal in 2013 until betting giants Ladbrokes got on board in 2015.
Doncaster wasn’t helped by the fact Rangers were out of the top flight at that time and made it a more challenging task.
However, that didn’t wash with a certain Barry Hearn when he was invited to invited to speak at the inaugural Scottish FA convention.
“The fact you’ve got a Scottish Premiership without a sponsor – do you know how long you’d work for Barry Hearn if that was the case?,” said the impresario. “You would be sacked because that’s not a performance I’m looking for.”
TV deals
As far back as 2014, Record Sport highlighted the pittance Scottish football received in TV revenue in comparison to other countries in Europe.
We were anchored to the bottom of a league of 18 countries, below the likes of Poland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark and dwarfed even by Greece.
Fast forward the start of this season and Doncaster was STILL getting slaughtered for underselling our game.
Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson said the five-year, £125 million deal struck with Sky wasn't good enough.
He said: "When you look at the television deal we’ve currently got in place with Sky we’ve undersold the product.
"Take the Old Firm game for example. There’s four a season. We know Sky are paying £7.5million per game for the Premiership (EPL) package.
“The Old Firm games are at the same level as some of the top (English Premier League) games. It’s recognised as being one of the world’s top derbies.
“If you take four Old Firm games alone that’s the equivalent of £30million of value based on the Premier League payment terms.
“But the SPFL as a league is only getting £25million for 48 league games? How can we say we’ve sold that well?"
BT... it's not good to talk
It's good to talk was the BT advertising slogan but not if you are Doncaster.
Well, at least not in the eyes of respected BT Sport anchor Darrell Currie.
The usually mild-mannered studio man was riled by Doncaster's accusation that his employers hadn't shown our national game the attention it deserved.
That came as he celebrated a deal with Sky Sports, Doncaster saying that when it was shared broadcasters haven't given Scotland "the love they show other leagues".
Currie branded his comments "pathetic" and "disrespectful".
Dundee email
Even if there was no other option but to end the Covid-hit season, the manner in which it was done was controversial.
And nothing summed that up more than the whole episode involving Dundee and THAT missing email which was crucial to the vote.
The Dark Blues had submitted a vote not to end the campaign but the email was lost in cyberspace and they later had a change of heart.
That led to an SPFL inquiry which found "no evidence of improper behaviour”. Cue rage from the likes of Rangers, Partick Thistle and Stranraer.
