'Undignified' Rangers taken to task by Regan

Chief football writer

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Stewart Regan, the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association, has accused Rangers of behaviour and comments which he says were "undignified and irresponsible".

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michael grant chief football writer michael.grant@heraldandtimes.co.uk

Regan was accused of failing to show leadership by Ally McCoist, the Rangers manager, at the weekend before the club's chief executive, Charles Green, joined the applause as fans sang: "If you hate Stewart Regan clap your hands", at Brechin on Sunday.

Regan, who effectively accused them of pandering to their supporters, has been criticised for his part in the failed attempt to fast-track league reconstruction in order to parachute Rangers into the first division. He is unpopular at Rangers – partly for insisting the club must face a one-year transfer embargo – but is also disliked by some at other clubs who accused him of trying to bully the lower leagues into instant change or else face financial ruin."Some of the comments and some of the behaviour has been undignified and irresponsible," he said. "There is a recognition at the Scottish FA that Rangers want to get back to the top of the game. We have met all of the key players in the new board and there are those on that board who talk a lot of sense, and there are those who are determined to bring a lot of success back to Rangers."Asked about the episodes at the weekend, he said: "They have been desperate to try and bring their fans with them. They have used opportunities to try to engage with those fans."Alluding to the leaking of an email proposing Rangers' entry into the first division, Regan said: "There has been a lot said. There have been e-mails, there have been leaks, comments made to the media. Quite a lot of it has been undignified and irresponsible. We have to rise above that at the Scottish FA and do what we think is right."Comments have been made which are unsatisfactory and unpalatable at times. I never expected this job to be a popularity contest. We have come further in the last two years than in the previous 20 or 30. I have been personally vilified for trying to be a marriage broker or a peace keeper. I can go to bed and sleep at night knowing that all I've ever done has been for the good of the game in Scotland. I've set out to drive change in this country and I'll continue to do that."He dismissed speculation on Rangers messageboards that he and Peter Lawwell, the Celtic chief executive, had worked together previously. "That's complete fiction. I met Peter Lawwell once before I came to Scottish football. It's just a complete load of tripe."The transfer of oldco Rangers' SFA membership to the newco will be completed when the SPL share is transferred to Dundee on Friday. The SFA's appellate tribunal will this week sign off the 12-month transfer embargo, beginning on September 1, which is a condition of membership.Regan revealed that Campbell Ogilvie offered to resign if the SFA felt uncomfortable about their president's role at Rangers while the club operated Employee Benefit Trusts, which are the subject of an ongoing SPL investigation.Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, dismissed Green's assertion that bigotry played a part in his club being voted into the third division "The club said that it is not worthy of response," he said. "I found it quite funny. He has only been here five minutes and he is calling us all bigots."

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'Undignified' Rangers taken to task by Regan

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