RANGERS have been fined by Scottish football's governing body for breaching so-called dual ownership rules relating to Newcastle owner Mike Ashley.
The club have been ordered to pay £5,500, following a similar £7,500 fine for Mr Ashley last month for the same offence.
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) issued the penalty after the case came before its judicial panel.
A disciplinary tribunal deemed Mr Ashley, who has a nine per cent stake in Rangers, had influence in the Ibrox boardroom.
The bulk of Rangers' fine was imposed for failing to act towards the SFA with the utmost good faith.
The club were also fined £500 as Mr Ashley was deemed to have influenced the management or administration through the appointment of business associates Derek Llambias and Barry Leach to the club's board.
Ashley has made cash loans to the cash-strapped Scottish Championship club, holds commercial contracts and had Mr Llambias and Mr Leach operating as chief executive and finance director, respectively, on the Ibrox board until they were removed at an extraordinary general meeting called by Dave King.
In December last year, the SFA refused to allow Sports Direct owner Mr Ashley to increase his stake in Rangers International Football Club to 29.9 per cent. He had previously signed an agreement that limited his shareholding to 10 per cent.
A second charge brought by the SFA, that he failed to act in the "best interests of association football", was found to be "not proved".
In January, with bills to pay, the Rangers board agreed to borrow £10m from Mr Ashley's Sports Direct, £5m of which was made available as immediate working capital and to repay a previous £3m loan made by Ashley.
For this, the businessman took security over the club's Murray Park training ground at Auchenhowie, near Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire registered trademarks and other properties, but not Ibrox Stadium.
Rangers then manager Kenny McDowall said that he was told by Mr Llambias and former chairman of the football board Sandy Easdale that the five players loaned to the club from Newcastle must start every game, if fit.
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