FA step in over Davis payment to newco

Chief football writer

Wednesday 25 July 2012

THE Football Association have told Southampton not to give the fee for Steven Davis straight to Rangers newco.

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Michael Grant

The agreed sum of around £750,000 has still to be paid and the FA have told the Barclays Premier League club that, for the time being, they should send it to the SFA.

Southampton officially confirmed 19 days ago that they had signed the former Ibrox captain and, although Rangers newco revealed last weekend a fee had been agreed between the clubs, no money has yet changed hands.

Herald Sport understands that instead of placing the money with the SFA, both Southampton and Rangers newco have agreed to delay the financial transaction until membership of the SFA is approved.The FA intervened because of the uncertainty that still hangs over Rangers. Oldco Rangers were not entitled to the money because it sold the players' registrations to the newco, and the newco cannot take any money for Davis either because it is not a football club until it has been granted SFA membership.After reports last night that talks between Rangers newco and the governing bodies were deadlocked, more discussions are likely to take place today. However, it is only once those reach some sort of resolution, and Rangers have received SFA membership, that the FA permit Southampton to send the money to Ibrox.Green has tried to negotiate fees for most of the players who have left Ibrox this summer, but was successful in doing so only with Davis and Southampton. Others – such as Everton with Steven Naismith and Norwich City with Steven Whittaker – opposed his view that players who refused to allow their contracts to be transferred from the oldco to the newco were in breach of contract. Except for Southampton, none agreed with him that Rangers newco were entitled to fees for the departing players. By agreeing a settlement, Southampton were able to process the deal without awaiting FIFA clearance.Green also revealed yesterday that Andrew Little, the Northern Ireland striker, has agreed to sign a new deal at the club. Little is due to return to Ibrox today, having agreed terms with the club, and will train alongside Ian Black and Craig Beattie, the former Hearts players who are expected to become Ally McCoist's first signings once the SFA membership is approved."Andrew Little is coming back to the club," Green said. "Alistair has a list of players and he has been speaking to some of them. We have a number of other targets lined up and it's up to Ally to decide. He picks the ones on the field and I pick the ones in the office."Some of our senior players have agreed to stay with us and that's really commendable because you couldn't blame them for picking up their bags and going elsewhere. For Alistair now, the balance is getting the players in that can play in the third division but can also move forward as the club moves forward."

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FA step in over Davis payment to newco

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