Monday, 16 July 2012

SPL Rangers Issues Continue


The Scottish Premier League will meet to decide who replaces Rangers this season amid fresh criticism, this time from Queen of the South.

Dundee and Dunfermline Athletic hope to learn that one of them has been chosen to fulfil the "Club 12" fixtures.

But Queens are the latest to reveal their fears that the SPL annual meeting will find a way to circumvent the vote to have Rangers in Division Three.

Queens say they are angry at the SPL and Scottish Football Association.

“There have been statements that have amounted to little more than threats”Queen of the South

The club relegated from Division Two have incurred the wrath of their own supporters for being one of five out of 30 Scottish Football League clubs who voted for the new Rangers being in Division One.

Ahead of Friday's SFL meeting, the SFA and SPL had promised reorganisation of the leagues and redistribution of income in return for Rangers being placed in Division One.

The chief executives of both those governing bodies had warned of dire financial consequences should Rangers be placed in the bottom tier.

And the Dumfries outfit claim they only voted for the First Division plan because they believe it is inevitable the new Rangers will end up in the second tier and wanted to ensure reform came with it.

"We have been incredibly disappointed and angry at the actions and leadership of the senior members of the SFA and SPL throughout this whole saga," Queens said in a statement.

"There have been statements, both public and private, that have amounted to little more than threats.

"The dialogue has been negative, focusing on and exaggerating the possible 'Armageddon' rather than rallying and actively trying to find solutions that all clubs and, more importantly, supporters would feel comfortable supporting.

"Instead, we were presented with a set of proposals that no one was happy with.

"More importantly, the message from the governing bodies was that, even with a 'no' vote, they would continue to pursue the newco Rangers playing in one of the top two tiers next season.

"There has been a lot of talk about how this is not possible under the current rules, but as the saying goes: 'where there's a will there's a way'."

Queens' comments echoed those of clubs such as Clyde and Dunfermline, whose chairmen suggested that the SPL could yet reverse its own decision to exclude Rangers.

The new Rangers had themselves suggested that they had been promised a place in an SPL2 should they not be voted into Division One.

However, it is almost certainly impossible to organise a new league in the three weeks before the start of the season and Sevco chief executive Charles Green has announced that he will accept the SFL decision.

Dundee United and Hearts have dismissed suggestions that the SPL could reverse its previous decision, when 10 of the 12 clubs rejected the newco's application.

The SPL had previously indicated that it was likely to invite Dundee, who finished runners-up to promoted Ross County, to replace Rangers.

However, Dunfermline, who finished bottom of the SPL, have argued that they should be saved from relegation instead.

The SPL decision has implications for the losers of last season's promotion play-offs - Airdrie United, who are poised to move up to Division One, and Stranraer, who will jump to the Second Division - should either Dundee or Dunfermline be confirmed in the SPL.

SPL clubs will also be looking to discover further details of the predicted commercial losses resulting from the loss of Rangers.

Contracts reportedly have an exit or renegotiation clause should either Celtic or Rangers be absent and the television deals.

Sky and ESPN were due to sign an £80m five-year deal this summer, although their existing £13m annual contract has a year left to run.

SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster told SFL clubs that a total of £18.7m would be lost to the SPL if the Third Division option was taken, all but £1m from broadcasting deals.

Doncaster has apparently valued TV revenue at just £3m if the Rangers newco was made to start in the Third Division, but Sky Sports has maintained its silence while ESPN has said it wants "to have a continued relationship with Scottish football".


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