CLUB 1872, the Rangers supporters organisation and second largest shareholders at Ibrox, have vowed to challenge any move that could result in title stripping following the resolution of the "Big Tax Case" hearing last week.
The Supreme Court ruled in favour of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs on Wednesday as the lengthy legal battle over the use of Employee Benefit Trusts during Sir David Murray’s reign came to a conclusion. The outcome has sparked fresh calls for the history books to be rewritten and Rangers to lose honours that were won over a nine year period.
Ibrox chairman Dave King accused Celtic of trying to influence the football authorities to "achieve off the pitch what its teams failed to do on the pitch" and, in a lengthy statement yesterday, Club 1872 said: “The Lord Nimmo Smith tribunal dealt comprehensively with this matter and, as the SFA has correctly reiterated, is final and binding. Despite this, we remain concerned that the SPFL board may attempt to act on behalf of Celtic in this matter. It is our belief that a small number of other SPFL clubs, including Aberdeen and Dundee United, would like to see them do so.”
Rangers won five Scottish Premier League titles during the period when EBT payments were made to players but an independent commission four years ago ruled that the Light Blues "did not gain any unfair competitive advantage". Many supporters have demanded that the case is re-opened, while Celtic re-affirmed their "surprise" at that outcome and called for the football authorities to review the matter.
The Club 1872 statement continued: “Should it be the case that the SPFL do decide to act for the benefit of Celtic, then the clubs represented on that board should be aware that Club 1872, and we are sure Rangers Football Club and the wider Rangers support, will use every legal means necessary to challenge those who promote, support or facilitate such a course of action.”
The conclusion of the court action may have brought the EBT saga to an end in a legal sense, but the row continues to rumble on in Scottish football. The Scottish FA and SPFL both made their positions clear last week and Club 1872 have called for a line to be drawn under the issue of title stripping.
The statement concluded: “The last time there was an attempt to steal our titles, those involved operated in an environment where Rangers and the Rangers support were in a state of turmoil. The focus of our support was in removing various unsavoury characters from within our own club.
“That will not be the case this time and any clubs, club officials and commentators involved in any such dishonest and self-serving campaign will be met by wide-ranging, robust, legal and economic challenges at every step of the way.
“It would be our preference for Scottish football to return to a more normalised condition where sporting endeavour on the pitch is the source of rivalry between clubs. If that is not the wish of the wider Scottish footballing community then they will find us to be extremely committed opponents nonetheless.”
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