SCOTTISH FOOTBALL:A stormy seven-hour meeting of the Scottish Football League at Hampden Park concluded yesterday with no clear view about whether the clubs will accept a newly formed Rangers into the First Division next season, or insist it starts life in the third, reports DAVID CONN.

In a day of fierce politicking, SFL clubs were warned of financial meltdown if the SFL does not allow Rangers into the First Division. Neil Doncaster, chief executive of the SPL, presented the prospect of BSkyB and ESPN unravelling the £80 million five-year TV deal, due to begin this season, if Rangers are in the Third Division.

After a meeting described by the SFL itself as “full and forthright”, the clubs agreed they will take a definitive vote on Rangers on July 12th.

Rangers’ financial collapse, then the acquisition of its assets by a new company with the businessman Charles Green as chief executive, has brought the Scottish game close to tearing itself apart. A majority of clubs, due to meet today, oppose accepting Green’s newly formed Rangers next season.

The SPL and the SFA executive then formed the view that having a new Rangers in the First Division would be an appropriate sanction for the club’s financial implosion, which led to its liquidation last month.

Doncaster told the SFL clubs that the TV companies and sponsors could live with no Old Firm matches, by far the most viewed, for a probable one season, but not for a minimum of three.

However a number of SFL clubs have stated their opposition to allowing Rangers into the First Division and said they must apply as a new club to the third.

Last week the SFL chief executive, David Longmuir, sent a proposal arguing strongly that clubs should allow Rangers into the First Division.

He warned if they did not, to avoid “financial collapse”, the SPL would colonise the First Division itself, form an SPL2, and have the new Rangers in it.

Guardian Service