LONDON: Cash-strapped Glasgow giants Rangers will play in the third division next season following a vote of Scottish Football League (SFL) clubs yesterday in a move that could have enormous consequences for the entire future of Scottish football.
Already expelled from the Scottish Premier League (SPL), following the formation of a new company or newco that took place after Rangers entered administration, the Gers were dropped to the lowest tier of Scottish league football during a meeting of Scottish Football League chairmen.
Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan had said that demoting Rangers to the Third Division would cause financial catastrophe and a “slow, lingering death” of the Scottish game.
Regan argued the 140-year-old Rangers, Scottish football’s most successful club, should be dropped just one tier to the First Division.
But at a news conference after Friday’s meeting at Glasgow’s Hampden Park it was announced that 25 out of the 30 SFL clubs had voted for Rangers to be entered into the Third Division instead.
“It has been a very, very important day for Scottish football,” said SFL chief executive David Longmuir. “We have voted to willingly accept Rangers as an associate member of the SFL.
“The only acceptable position will be to place Rangers FC into the Third Division from that start of this season, 2012/13.
This decision followed a tried and tested process “Today’s (Friday’s) decision has been one of the most difficult for all concerned but it has been taken in the best interest of sporting fairness, which is the fundamental principle of the SFL.” He added: “Twenty-Five clubs out of 30 voted in favor of the Third Division option. The decision has that’s been made is in the interests of sporting fairness. I am very comfortable with the decision.” Safeguarding the multi-million pound commercial deals on which Scotland’s professional clubs rely so heavily was central to Regan’s stance, with a new television deal worth £80 million ($125m) over five seasons reputedly dependent on the screening of four Rangers v Celtic Old Firm derbies a season.
Broadcasters were said to be prepared to go no more than one year without these showcase matches.
However, Longmuir said: “The Scottish Football League has been entirely consistent with our willingness to work with other bodies to ensure that we focus on rebuilding our game, restoring pride in our game and exploring revenue streams and our willingness to achieve these aims does not alter.” Rangers, in a statement issued on their website after Friday’s decision, said: “It is now understood that on the back of a briefing SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster and SFA counterpart Stewart Regan gave to clubs last week that the SPL will introduce a plan for ‘SPL 2’ — which would include Rangers - and invite existing Division One members to join.” But many fans of rival teams and even some Rangers supporters, tired of the criticism and keen not to have their club beholden to anyone, wanted the Ibrox side sent to the Third Division as had happened previously when clubs were punished for financial mismanagement.
Meanwhile it has still to be decided if Dunfermline, relegated from the SPL last season, or First Division runners-up Dundee will take Rangers’ place in next term’s top-flight.
Police are conducting a criminal investigation into the takeover of Rangers by Craig Whyte in May 2011.
Businessman Whyte bought an 85% shareholding in Rangers for £1 from previous owner Sir David Murray and made several pledges regarding investment and paying off the club’s bank debt.
However, Rangers went into administration on February 14 this year following court action from UK tax officials.
Administrators announced subsequently Rangers had failed to pay about £9 million ($14m) in tax since Whyte’s takeover.
They also revealed that the club had paid off a debt to Lloyds Banking Group from a £24.4million ($38m) capital injection from investment firm Ticketus, which was secured on the back of future season ticket sales.
