Rangers chief says words that upset SFA 'are true and I stand by them'

Green: 'All people want to do is keep chasing Rangers and to chase us to the grave – and we are not going there.'SNS Group

Rangers chief executive Charles Green says he stands by the comments that led to the Scottish Football Association issuing a notice of complaint against him.

On Tuesday afternoon, the SFA accused Mr Green of breaching rules 66 and 71 with his comments regarding the Scottish Premier League's investigation into possible rule breaches in relation to EBT payments made to players between 2001 and 2010.

The association had given him until September 24 to respond to the complaint, with a hearing scheduled in principle for Thursday, October 4.

But on Tuesday evening the Ibrox chief issued a statement reasserting his earlier claims.

The statement read: “We made very clear in the statement that we made that we have never questioned the integrity of the panel. That is beyond reproach.

“What I do have an issue with is the fact that the SPL has relentlessly been pursuing a fixed and predetermined agenda on EBTs from the moment they realised that they would not be able to get Rangers back into the SPL without a fan revolt.

"Until that moment the SPL were looking to trade SPL status for an admission of guilt on EBTs and a sanction of stripped titles. We couldn’t and didn’t give them that.

"You need look no further than the initial draft of the five-way agreement.

"There is reference in that to EBTs and the outcome was stripping titles but if I make a statement that the SPL is pursuing a predetermined outcome then I’m bringing the game into disrepute.

"From the moment that SPL status for Rangers was off the agenda we've been heading for stripped titles.

“What I’m doing is using free speech to tell the fans exactly what has happened and I am now on disrepute charges for matters of fact.

"The words that seem to have upset the SFA so much are that 'the SPL appoint the jury, set the outcome and set the punishment before the trial' - those things are true and I stand by them.

“Whether or not the commission works to that agenda remains to be seen but let’s be clear there was a predetermined outcome.

"If their chief executive and lawyers were drafting agreements that contained definitions of titles that would be stripped in late June/early July long before a commission was even thought about, how can anyone say they are not pursuing an agenda and a predetermined outcome?

“I would ask the SFA and the SPL to release the first draft of the five-way agreement put together by their lawyers to reveal all of the sanctions. Stripping of titles was definitely within that document.

“In terms of this commission, if the SPL agenda prevails then Rangers will be found guilty and, being found guilty, we will lose five titles.

“If I’m wrong then it will be a different outcome.

“What I said before is that this commission is not independent because the SPL have set it up. Saying that they are not independent is not saying that they are not impartial.

“That’s what I have an issue with and I will make these points when I go to see the SFA – not unless I’m in jail before then because there will no doubt be 50 odd charges by then.

“We want to focus on what’s happening at the club in terms of filling the stadium, going to Annan and filling the town – they are the good things.

“But all people want to do is keep chasing Rangers and to chase us to the grave – and we are not going there.”

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