THE law firm facing a £25 million court action at the hands of Rangers' administrators has claimed the case is being fuelled by "misleading" and "emotive" arguments.

Collyer Bristow has spoken out for the first time since being accused of deliberately deceiving the Ibrox club during Craig Whyte's takeover.

Lawyers acting for administrators Duff & Phelps last week told the High Court in London that the firm "conspired" with Whyte with "intent to injure the club by unlawful means".

They also claimed the lawyer at the centre of the takeover, Gary Withey, "did a runner" when problems surrounding the transaction surfaced.

However, Paul Newhall, Collyer Bristow's business development director, has hit back at the claims and said Mr Withey removed himself from the public eye after receiving threats.

He said Duff & Phelps had previously said they were "appalled" by the threats towards Mr Withey, which have been described as "serious", "specific" and "deeply alarming".

Mr Newhall added: "The administrators seem to be suggesting that the club received little or no money since the takeover. That's not correct. Approximately £28m was paid into our client account at or prior to completion of the takeover and thereafter nearly all of that money was paid out on behalf of, and for the benefit of, the club.

"More than £18m was used to repay the club's longstanding problematic debt owed to Bank of Scotland. At the time of the administration £3.9m remained in our client account, of which £300,000 was paid to the administrators and the balance of £3.6m was paid over, to be held to the order of the court, while the competing claims to it are resolved.

"As heard in court, the administrators' new headline claim is the alleged conspiracy on the part of Craig Whyte and Gary Withey to cause injury to the club. The allegations on which this claim is based are highly speculative and we've seen nothing that gives a credible basis to the claim."