Rangers fans accept vote to send club to bottom tier

Senior News Reporter

Saturday 14 July 2012

MOST Rangers fans last night backed the Scottish Football League's decision to place the club in the bottom division next season as some supporters called on the domestic game's two most powerful figures to resign over their handling of the crisis.

PROTEST: Fans made their message clear.

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MARTIN WILLIAMS

About 80% of Ibrox season-ticket holders polled before yesterday's vote by the league's 30 member clubs said it was right for Charles Green's Ibrox newco to go into the Third Division.

The Glasgow club will then turn out against the likes of Peterhead, Annan Athletic and Elgin City.

While the survey showed many fans feel the need for a fresh start from the financial scandal that has led to the club's liquidation, one group attacked the football chiefs for what it said was an attempt to parachute Rangers into the First Division.John McMillan, Secretary of the Rangers Supporters Association, said SFL chief executive Neil Doncaster and his Scottish Football Association counterpart, Stewart Regan, should consider their positions after failing to convince the SFL that the Ibrox club should be placed in the First Division after being denied a place in the top tier, the Scottish Premier League (SPL). He said: "Doncaster and Regan have been working behind the scenes trying to coerce SFL clubs to let them into division one and it has failed."Tremendous pressure was placed on the SFL clubs, and sporting integrity at that point in time in my view went out of the window. "They have tried to stagemanage Rangers going into division one, [which] has failed miserably and the SFL clubs have let them know that – and in view of that, they should be considering their positions."The Rangers Supporters Trust welcomed the SFL decision to deny the club a place in the First Division, having earlier called on the SFA to sack Mr Regan. A spokesman said that life in the Third Division was an "opportunity to rebuild Rangers, visit new grounds and we just might help smaller clubs along the way".The Trust had previously claimed the prospect of creating an SPL2 would harm many Scottish clubs outside the Premier League, adding it was "being cobbled together for the benefit of clubs in the SPL".The poll of Rangers season-ticket holders that revealed most fans favouring the Third Division was taken before the crucial SFL vote at Hampden Park.Rangers fans did not want the Scottish Football Association and the SPL to go ahead with a proposal to place Rangers in a breakaway "SPL2" if the SFL, which comprises the three leagues beneath the SPL, voted against giving the Glasgow club a place in the Third Division.Mr Regan and Mr Doncaster had both warned of dire financial consequences should Rangers be denied a place in the SFL's top tier, the First Division.SFL clubs received proposals from their board following discussion with governing body, the SFA, and the SPL indicating that a restructuring of the leagues, with an enlarged top tier and play-offs for an extra promotion place, would be dependent on Rangers being in the First Division.Ross Blyth of the Rangers Supporters Assembly said: "We can now move on and prepare for the new season, which starts in a fortnight."The governing bodies have delayed this and have tried to force responsibility of the issue on to the SFL chairmen. This could have been decided a long time ago."In a statement last night, Mr Regan said the vote had been a watershed, adding: "In light of today's decision by the members of the Scottish Football League, the SFA is committed to leading the challenge to reinvigorate the national game. "This challenge requires the collective effort not just of the SFA but the respective league organisations and all member clubs."The SFL was unavailable for comment last night.

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Rangers fans accept vote to send club to bottom tier

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