THE SFA are still hopeful that a merger between the SPL and SFL could take place in time for next season, a structure which could see newco Rangers take a place in the first division.
Broad agreement has been reached between all three organisations around five key principles, with the catalyst for restructuring likely to be the liquidation of oldco Rangers last Thursday. The power to decide the fate of the newco Ibrox club still resides with the 11 other SPL chairmen at a meeting likely to take place on or around July 2 (Duff and Phelps will cast the vote on behalf of Rangers), but with chairmen thought to be increasingly hardline over voting them back into the top flight, and the SFA still having to endorse any application for membership, a compromise has been floated whereby newco Rangers would avoid having to climb back up from the bottom tier of the Scottish game. Further talks between all parties are set to take place in the next seven days.
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