Why SFA will reject Rangers appeal

The reason a transfer ban was imposed on Rangers is straightforward enough, they bought players and cannot pay for them. Clubs from Vienna to Edinburgh are owed money and have little prospect of being paid ahead of the coming transfer window, a fact which will have an enormous impact on their own competitive challenge next season.

The SFA cannot allow member clubs to continue to splash cash on players while clubs from other associations go without payment. It has a duty to inhibit clubs in violation of the rules from further strengthening while others have been weakened as a consequence.

This notion is tolerated in Scotland (only by those with a vested interest in Rangers flourishing) but is simply untenable. The appeal will be rejected.

It beggars belief that Duff and Phelps complain that Rangers competitive challenge will be inhibited as a result of not being able to sign yet more players, the administrators are the architects of the situation the club finds itself in.

Duff and Phelps devised a plan which would see Rangers retain their squad, or at the very least, be in a position to trade players in the summer. The plan was sold as a great victory, a panacea which would ensure the club would continue to field a competitive team throughout the administration process, something unheard of at other clubs in the same situation.

At significant cost to creditors, they kept players on full pay for several weeks before agreeing to retain the entire squad on reduced salaries. Throughout this period they played teams they owe money to, including Hearts, who they defeated last week while using a player bought from Hearts with an outstanding £800k bill.

For signing players and gaining a competitive advantage, without paying for them, inhibiting competitors’ teambuilding efforts, the only appropriate punishment is a transfer ban.

No disrespect to junior, amateur and lower league teams, but…

One team in Glasgow,
There’s only one team in Glasgow.
One team in Glasgow,
There’s only one team in Glasgow…