SPL clubs examine Rangers fallout

St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour revealed his own club were among those battling to stay solvent after Scottish Football League clubs rejected a plan to place the relaunched club in the First Division.

Gilmour's comments - accusing SFL clubs of damaging Scottish football - betrayed an expectation that the lower-league clubs would accept the reconstruction deal that accompanied the plan. The scheme was formulated by executives of both leagues along with SFA chief executive Stewart Regan, whose position has come under scrutiny.

Queen of the South, one of the few clubs who voted for the First Division plan, have hit out at Regan and SPL counterpart Neil Doncaster.

The Dumfries club said 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 such as top-flight play-offs came with it.

A statement read: "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. 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'."

There remains scepticism among many SFL clubs that the Ibrox club will start off in the bottom tier following Regan's earlier comments that he could not allow the game to suffer a "slow, lingering death" that such a scenario would, in his opinion, prompt.

Clyde hinted that Ibrox chief executive Charles Green had been promised by Regan that such an outcome could not come about amid warnings of an SPL2 breakaway. The SFA have said little since Friday's vote and are still to decide on Sevco's application to assume Rangers' membership of the association, and what sanctions might come with it.

Source: PA

Source: PA