Rangers

Ally McCoist worried for future if Rangers end up in Division Three

Rangers manager Ally McCoist fears for the livelihood of other SPL teams if his team don’t remain in the top flight next season.

Discussions over financial fair play proposals will take place at Hampden on Monday.

Preferred bidder Bill Miller's plan if he gains control of Rangers is to create an "incubator" company while Duff and Phelps aim to take the club out of administration via a CVA.

As debate rages over a ‘newco’ playing in the top flight, with many suggesting the club should be demoted to the Third Division.

While stating that he understands the dilemma faced by other SPL chairman, McCoist said he hopes to remain in the league.

Speaking after the 0-0 draw with Motherwell, he said: "I just hope it's a favourable result for us on Monday.

"I can understand that the SPL and the SFA have got big decisions to make and they won't please everybody."

McCoist added: "I just spoke to a radio reporter there and he said the phone-lines on the radio station have been jammed with non-Rangers supporters saying we should go down to Division Three and all that kind of stuff.

"I can understand that but it's not just as simple as that because I do believe there would be a threat to the livelihood of maybe some other clubs in the SPL if that were to happen.

"That's not something I would say lightly but in terms of the finance of Scottish football - sponsors and television money and things like that - it's a massive issue.

"The right thing to do might be the wrong thing in the long run. It's a big problem."

Comments

There are 16 comments

Don't worry Ally, even in Division 3 there'll be more people at Ibrox than at the majority of SPL grounds, not even 8,000 "fans" turned out at Rugby Park or St Mirren Park on a bank holiday weekend. I believe the twitter comment would be #emptystands!

bluenoseam 05/05/2012 Report this place
To speculate that other clubs would suffer if Rangers went down is not right. That alone (even if it was true - which it isn't) is an immoral argument for remaining with the integrity and company of the SPL. Rangers have brought the game into disrepute as a starter and is not the main worry of the big tax case.
I hope Ally isn't trying to put pressure on the SFA to throw away the rule book in favour of avoiding the previously demonstrated wrath of Rangers fans. The audacity of the club is phenomenal. Bill Miller being told to 'truck off' and 'no thanks Yanks' by the fans when he tries to 'save' the club - talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
Phone ins are right to expect the team to go down because it would be unfair otherwise. I don't think the Rangers painful denial and rose-coloured expectations are helping. The sooner the decision gets made perhaps Rangers will finally begin to accept and adjust to what they have done. Then we can all be spared the of this undignified bleeting.

Luggie 05/05/2012 Report this place
our rose tinted specs? Luggie, you do realise that even WITH two visits from Rangers that only ONE club in the SPL managed to have an average attendance over 60% don't you? You also do realise surely that Sky are only interested in 4 Old Firm games a season? Where is the money coming from if not from the Old Firm - who are responsible for 85% of all revenue in Scottish football as a collective - newsflash, without Rangers there is only Celtic, who cannot pull in much money on their own without the glamour of the Old Firm. You want the skinny, the SPL is made up of 2 clubs capable of winning the thing and 10 clubs who play for third place - where is the integrity in that? Oh and without Rangers how long do you believe the debts most clubs have remain serviceable - cos I bet that it won't be long, although lets be fair, if Hearts or Killie were to fold it wouldn't be a loss to Scottish football!

Truth is I'd rather play in the third division, cos right now I have more respect for what I scrape off my shoe than I do for 10 clubs in the SPL.

bluenoseam 05/05/2012 Report this place
I agree, Bluenoseam! I'm sick of the rabbits kicking us while we are down. I think the restrictions imposed will be too harsh for Rangers to stay in the SPL; thus we will be forced to join the bottom tier. In Rangers' absence, several SPL clubs teetering on the brink will not meet their debts and may face insolvency.
Working our way up from the bottom will be character-building, no doubt, but what kind of league will remain by the time we're back?

ChrisGer 05/05/2012 Report this place
As I say there is no integrity in thinking that the SPL should depend upon the criminality of bringing the game into disrepute or the tax-dodging of historic proportions. Rangers have disgraced Scottish football and the remaining would be quite happy to live within the means that are left. I don't care that they're sick of being kicked - they are not 'down' they have been caught cheating the system for a long while.

Even if the SPL was reduced to ash parks and fathers watching their boys from the side - it would be better than the disgrace of recent history. May even return to what sport was about before money spoiled it. Any type of league would be better. So Rangers, please spare us the 'sob' stories and get about the business of repaying the debts you owe us all.

Luggie 05/05/2012 Report this place
I must of course add that the tax-doging is alleged, but it doesn't look good. Its important that Rangers find their rightful place in Scottish football and that it may be the third division. I will respect Rangers if they reboot with a proper business plan and show respect to their fellow teams. It grates to think that perhaps other teams might have deserved second places, European entries and better success than they've had.

Luggie 05/05/2012 Report this place
Actually, the alleged tax dodging is in part utilisation of loopholes which exist within the tax laws - for example stuff like claiming back tax relief on washing work uniforms is worth the princely sum of £62 per annum, all 100% legal. The problem is that it was poorly administered & as a result the tax man is hammering us for it, now if it was just paying the tax back then I'd support it, but they're attempting to TRIPLE the liability with fines & penalties. If you or I overpay the taxman he gives us the money back to the penny, not a penny more or less even if that is up to a year or two later - so the penalties are somewhat obscene.

As for "deserved second places" please, don't make me laugh - Rangers won those fair & square and well, with the exception of Hearts (who have their own problems financially) no one has even come CLOSE to finishing second. Heck we've had 10 points taken off us and we'll still finish atleast 5 clear of Motherwell, more likely 8 points, so we're talking 3 matches of a difference, that's not even close.

bluenoseam 06/05/2012 Report this place
This farcical situation needs to be brought to the only morally and legally acceptable conclusion. Eject this debt-ridden, discredited and finished club from the SPL, make them face the full consequences of the YEARS of cheating behaviour and move on without them. The lack of respect shown to the other league members (and clearly exhibited in some of the comments here), is merely one manifestation of the hubris that has landed them in their current position.

There are those who are thoroughly enjoying RFCs protracted, painful road to oblivion (for that will be the only destination). I would much rather we are all put out of the misery of watching the increasing desperation of ever murkier deals being struck in the panicked, chaotic handling of the 'administration', Boot them out and make them pay their debts in full. Simple.

There has been no contrition shown by anyone associated with this club. Too busy being sorry for themselves, absolving themselves of any liabilty, playing the part of the victims and blaming everyone else. The, " A big boy did it and ran away" defence doesn't wash with anyone. The bleating is undignified and intolerable. Stop it and take what's coming to you.

Even McCoist admitted that demotion to the third division would be, morally, the right thing to do..........but then he started bleating again. Plus ca change......

timesup 06/05/2012 Report this place
Well said timesup. The Rangers fans lose all logic. Bluenoseam, Rangers have not won anything fair & square and the taxman is correct for businesses to pay up for what they invested in out of our money and must be returned to the value of what we would normally have today had it not been taken from us in the first place. e.g what should have been spent to equip our troops abroad so long ago we need to triple now to make up for it.

Simple question - if you really think you'd have been so successful without all of the money you now owe - then why did you do it?

Luggie 06/05/2012 Report this place
As I say, I will fully enjoy the consequences of Rangers expulsion from the SPL, my money would be on Kilmarnock being first into administration followed shortly thereafter by Hearts - infact, I'd suggest the only club likely to survive is Celtic, but I do hope the faithful in Paradise enjoy watching as a good 80% of their current squad walk away as the money no longer exists to pay them.

You also seem to confuse is the level of the debt & how it was run up. An amount of it was run up over the course of the last year (the majority of the minor creditors) as well as the sum of £26m to Ticketus & the small tax case. So "for years" applies only to the EBT, which doesn't change the fact those players were paid as per their contractual terms - tax was paid on this amount however it was not fully paid as there was an understanding that the terms of the EBT were legal, as it later turned out they weren't. If you take out HMRC liabilities & Ticketus liabilities (which Whyte mortgaged) that will leave under £30m of debt.

Or around about the same figure as the very quiet on the matter Celtic FC. (£29.3m as of 31/12/11)

bluenoseam 06/05/2012 Report this place
I'm glad you've caught up on the fact it was EBTs I was talking about (what else?) Celtic 'matter' wasn't quiet. Their business plan is sound. As for the well-used 'there was an understanding' excuse I think you'll find that the past 3 months will pale into insignificance compared to the forthcoming hell of the EBT investigation. The current 'brought the game into disrepute' findings will also pale.

As a previous post mentioned, there has been absolutely no contrition on Rangers part, instead trying to paint a picture of victimisation and delusional dependence from others on them - while attempting to associate these teams along with their own downfall. Pathetic. Fact is without the SFA and other teams, parasitic Rangers would never have got where they were. Now having blown it they should at least exit quietly.

Luggie 06/05/2012 Report this place
Parasites? You are aware that EIGHTY FIVE percent of all revenue in the SPL can be directly attributed to the existence of Rangers & Celtic, the Old Firm game is the ONLY reason why there's any outside money coming into the SPL. Without the Old Firm there is ZERO marketability of the Scottish game, lets be fair, St Johnstone v Motherwell is not an attractive tie to watch, nor is it likely to draw any viewership outside of their respective fanbases.

There cannot be contrition over a tax case until such times as the findings of it are fully given to Rangers, they could say "sorry" right now and first thing on Tuesday morning turn out to have won the tax case - which we all know HMRC will appeal, appeal and appeal again.

The SPL has largely been a joke since its inception, 5 clubs have entered administration (three of those without punishment i hasten to add). The most recent figures i can find are PWC from 2010, at that point only TWO SPL clubs had no debt (St Johnstone & Hamilton Accies) - so waxing lyrical on any financial situations is a bit redundant.

You seem to forget i've said here already i want Rangers to go to the third division, frankly i would rather watch Rangers play there knowing those clubs would appreciate the money Rangers draw to their club. The SPL clubs (or more appropriately, their "fans") think they'll survive in a status quo without Rangers when the reality is far from it.

(source for the debt levels - http://pwc.blogs.com/files/22nd-afr-spr11.pdf)

bluenoseam 06/05/2012 Report this place
Attempting to trivialise and deflect the blame for Rangers own manufactured problems is tiresome, undignified and the most common response. Some reflection is required, and perhaps that is something which could be accomodated during the time spent in the Third Division. Accept full responsibility, slap yourselves on the face, apologise for the trouble you have caused and maybe you will eventually be allowed to return to the SPL........ but only if you earn it. Oh, and drop the insincere concern about the fate of the other SPL clubs. Disingenuous at the very least.

You will not be missed.........and that will be proved in the fullness of time.

timesup 06/05/2012 Report this place
I don't even hide the fact these days that I don't have an ounce of respect for 10 clubs in the SPL, not one single shred, as far as I'm concerned they are nothing more than shocking in the fact they to a man want one thing but are not prepared to suffer the consequences. I think you struggle to understand that I pointed out the financial situations at the other clubs, not as a measure of concern, but to point out that the situations once you remove HMRC & Ticketus (the two biggest potential liabilities) then Rangers are in exactly the same boat as the rest of the SPL. Also you miss the fact I have now said TWICE I want to play in Div 3 next season - and with that saying that I will gleefully watch as others go to the wall as their creditors pull the reigns in.

bluenoseam 06/05/2012 Report this place
Bluenoseam, what on earth are you on? How can one remove HMRC and Ticketus? This is precisely the issue - Rangers have cheated others in historic proportions. There is no comparison to the other clubs and you do not share in any of the integrity of these clubs. Disrespect towards these clubs by any Rangers support is another example of the arrogance and delusion typified by the hilarious, brainless 'we are the people' moronic chant.

Today's news where Miller has pulled out is exactly what I suggested in my previous post. The fans are always shooting themselves in the foot and at the same time thinking they have something to bargain with, or can even suggest they can impose conditions on any help offered. They have nothing. NADA! They are going down big time and they do not deserve the respect of any other club. So please spare us of your contempt for them - we don't care about it.

Luggie 08/05/2012 Report this place
Bye bye Bluenoseam. Forget the third division. You are not fit to tie the boots of the sportsmen in it. There will be no road back from the bubble of delusion in which you reside. I would also like to reiterate.....you will not be missed!

timesup 08/05/2012 Report this place

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Ally McCoist worried for future if Rangers end up in Division Three

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