Lennon hopes for Rangers solution

Published Thursday, 17 May 2012

Celtic manager Neil Lennon says he hopes Rangers can sort out their problems in order to keep the Old Firm spectacle alive, after the club lost its appeal against sanctions imposed by the Scottish Football Association's judicial panel.

Rangers fans display banners during the match between Celtic and Rangers (© Getty)

The beleaguered club suffered another blow when the appeal panel upheld a 12-month transfer embargo and a £160,000 fine imposed as sanction for its failure to pay £13m in tax during the last 12 months.

Rangers fans are now considering pushing ahead with plans to boycott away matches.

The president of the Rangers Supporters Assembly, Andy Kerr, says a boycott is an option but supporters want to make sure their actions are in the interests of the administration-hit club.

Meanwhile Lennon told Clyde 1 Super Scoreboard: "It's a bit of a shambles really. A club as big as that, the way it has been run for the last few years, it's shocking really.

The Lurgan-born man added: "Hopefully there can be a resolution pretty soon and we'll see where it takes them."

It's been an ongoing saga for quite a while and I'm hoping there is a light at the end of the tunnel for everyone concerned.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon

"But it's a shame for a lot of people. There are a lot of people being punished who have had really nothing to do with it.

Lennon, who was sent from the dugout on his last visit to Ibrox, admits he would miss the Glasgow derby.

"There is no show like punch," he said.

"Regardless of all the other stuff that comes with the Celtic-Rangers scenario, those games have been fantastic to be part of.

"That would be a huge loss to the club here and the game in Scotland.

"But Rangers have to sort themselves out. You can't ride roughshod over other clubs or the game and expect not to be punished for it."

Comments

9 Comments

s magowan in belfast wrote (364 days ago):

How did Neil Lennon win spl manager of the year?.He spent as much time watching his team from the stands than he did from the dug out.His behaveour towards referees is appalling and with Rangers s idelined his team could not beat Hearts or Kilmarnock to achieve the double.Compare his attitude with that of Ally McCoist i think the spl picked the wrong manager.

Alan Anderson in Belfasr wrote (365 days ago):

Hm Rob i think your missing the point, what Lennon is clearly saying is that in a sense both clubs rely on eachother, a dependant ying and yang, differnent but the same. Its not time for pointscoring, its simply time to wake up smell the coffee and sort out the club. A rebuilt Gers starting afresh with no debts in the lower divisions would take 3 years tops to re establish itself.

Tommy in glasgow wrote (367 days ago):

paul, "to gain a lot of titles" Rangers started the Ebt's in 2001! only spent out their means to about 4 Spls! still means we have more than celtic

Rod in :) wrote (371 days ago):

I don't know the inns and outs of the tax dispute and I bet you don't either, but I'm sure the bills will be paid, regardless of the outcome. No jelly and ice for yous. Shame the Celts can only succeed in the demise of the Famous Glasgow Rangers. Says it all really. Rangers till July, aye rite.

Alan Anderson in Belfast wrote (371 days ago):

Certainly Scotland needs minimum two big clubs. Lennon is a realist, and rightly so. However there is precedent for this in soccer, surely Rangers next step would be to declare bankrupt and start from the Lowest SFA division?

More Comments

^ Top of Comments