Sanctions could ‘kill’ Rangers – McCoist

Published Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Rangers manager Ally McCoist fears sanctions imposed by the Scottish Football Association's judicial panel, which include a £160,000 fine and 12-month embargo on signing players aged over 17, could spell the end for the Glasgow giants.

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Rangers face liquidation
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On Monday night the Scottish Football Association's judicial panel ordered the club to pay out and enforced the ban after they were found guilty of five charges in relation to their finances and the appointment of Craig Whyte as chairman.

Whyte - who has been given a lifetime ban from the club - had been disqualified as a director for seven years in 2000.

But joint administrator David Whitehouse said firm Duff and Phelps have written to the SFA chief executive requesting an "immediate expedited appeals process".

This, in turn, cannot be in the interests of Rangers Football Club or Scottish football in general.
David Whitehouse

"Not only in our opinion do the panel fail to have properly apportioned culpability between the club and Craig Whyte, they appear to have rendered a penalty which could have a very detrimental effect on the ability of the administrators to achieve a sale of the business or a Company Voluntary Arrangement.

Duff and Phelps say the sanctions could affect attempts to secure a bidder to take over the club.

Paul Murray's Blue Knights have already requested more time to finalise their plans before any announcement is made on a preferred bidder, while American businessman Bill Miller had previously asked for written assurances that there would be no football sanctions next season.

"The football authorities are fully aware that we are in the throes of an extremely complex insolvency situation," added Mr Whitehouse.

Meanwhile manager Ally McCoist has told Rangers TV they will be fighting back against the sanctions, which he said could "kill" the club.

"Like everyone else involved - our team, our supporters, our staff and a lot of neutrals - I am staggered at the severity of the punishment.

This decision could kill our football club, simple as that. Make no mistake about it.
Ally McCoist

"You would hope there would be sympathetic ears within the SFA over an appeals process, but you just don't know what is coming next.

"It is complete and utter guesswork."

McCoist also said the Scottish public deserves to know the names of the three members of the judicial panel tribunal.

"Make no mistake about it, this is an SFA decision. They have appointed the panel so therefore they are working for the SFA, but who are they?

"I think we have a right to know who is handing out this punishment to us, I really do."

"You can guarantee we will be fighting back," he added.

Comments

10 Comments

Nathan in Belfast wrote (388 days ago):

Short Strand man, what planet are you on? Neil Lennon has got away with bringing the game into disrepute with his disgraceful behaviour. There is standing up for your club and there is acting like a complete ned. It's a conspiracy!

Simon in Groomsport wrote (388 days ago):

Paul, of course any team that breaks the rules should be punished. My comments did not relate to the harshness of the punishment, but to those fans from other teams who are laughing at Rangers misfortune who don't realise the impact it will have on their own team and on the league as a whole. I don't really have an opinion on the punishment handed to Rangers apart from my belief that the people who are being punished the most are not the ones who made this mess in the first place, i.e. the players and the fans.

s magowan in belfast wrote (389 days ago):

Yes, Rangers deserve to be punished they broke the rules,but the severity of the punishment certainly raises a few eyebrows.A ten points deduction and even demotion to a lower division next year would probably suffice,but the heavy fine and the ban on signing players is a bit harsh.Scottish football needs Rangers just as it needs Celtic and both teams need each other.Without either or both,Scottish football would be finished.

paul in Belfast wrote (389 days ago):

So Simon are you saying let those who have broken the rules ,those who don,t pay tax those ,who spend beyond their means those who did,nt care about the mess they where getting into , are you saying let them go on as normal ,here is the bigger picture if RFC do not get punished then the SPL is finished , who would want to watch a morally corrupt league that lets the wrong doers continue ? hardly fair Simon

Simon in Groomsport wrote (389 days ago):

If Rangers went into liquidation, it is seriously bad news for everyone. It is not in any Celtic fan's best interests to see Rangers dissapear. Firstly, Without Rangers (or Celtic for that matter) you might as well say goodbye to any television money as even if Sky continued to want to show Scottish football, it definately wouldn't pay the same amount of money as what they are paying now. Secondly, Scotland in currently 16th in the Champions League Access List. This means that the Scottish League winners automatically enter the 3rd Round qualifying stage. If the Scottish League weakens (such as Rangers or Celtic going into liquidation), there is a chance that the Scottish Premier League will drop to 17th in the Access List which would mean that the Scottish champions would have to start their Champions League campaign from the 2nd Round. Without Rangers, Celtic may be unable to attract big players as there is basically no competition left in the league and, in turn, would mean that they would not have a strong enough team to compete in the Champions League. Therefore, before Celtic fans gloat any more at Rangers misfortune..... just look at the bigger picture!

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