McCoist: They're trying to strip us of our dignity

Chief football writer

Saturday 28 July 2012

RANGERS newco were finally given the go-ahead to start playing football again last night but Ally McCoist immediately launched a scathing attack on the Scottish Premier League for being as "hostile" as possible towards the club.

Ally McCoist has hit out at what he perceives as a hostile agenda

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Michael Grant

And he claimed that senior Scottish Football Association figures Stewart Regan, Rod Petrie and others had shown a total lack of leadership during the saga.

Days of painstaking negotiations ended with club owners Sevco Scotland Ltd being granted conditional membership for the newco to join the SFA. But one of the most contentious points between the newco owners and the SPL – whether they will take on any punishment if found guilty of undisclosed payments to players via Employee Benefit Trusts – remains a live issue. Sevco appear to have backed down on that point in order to secure membership, allowing their side to play Brechin City in the Ramsdens Cup tomorrow.

McCoist has vigorously opposed Rangers being stripped of titles if found guilty, and he issued a withering statement last night. Describing the situation as "ludicrous", McCoist said: "In recent days, I have been in a number of meetings with Stewart Regan, Rod Petrie and other senior SFA figures – and despair at the lack of leadership shown."In my years in professional football, I have not always agreed with everything the SFA did or said. But, no matter what you thought of their decisions, there was no doubt they ran the game firmly and robustly. I can only imagine [former secretary] Ernie Walker looking down on us now and shaking his head in disbelief at the sad state of affairs and the way they have been mishandled."As for the SPL, they seem determined to pursue as hostile an agenda as possible towards Rangers. They kicked us out of the SPL – which was their right, and we acknowledge that – but that doesn't seem enough for Neil Doncaster and some of his board."Not only are they withholding our SPL prize money for last season – they won't tell us how much it is. And having said they don't want us – they do want a bigger share of the TV money that our presence will bring to the SFL. Never mind sporting integrity, where is the moral integrity there?"And there is no line to be drawn in the sand. Rangers have not been punished enough in their eyes and, along with one or two people who have a vested interest within SPL clubs, our right to past titles will be challenged. They want what we bring, yet seem determined to strip us of our dignity. It has to stop."

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McCoist: They're trying to strip us of our dignity

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