Sunday's events at Fir Park finally produced a scenario that few people thought likely last summer: Rangers remain in the Championship.

The event is damaging for Rangers, but what does it mean for the rest of the clubs in Scotland's second tier, and for our game in general?

Yesterday I sought the views of four people, about Rangers and the Championship, looking ahead to the 2015-16 campaign . . .

Leeann Dempster (Hibernian chief executive officer)

No-one plans for relegation. It devastated Hibs going down into the Championship at the end of 2013-14. It devastated us in terms of our reputation, in financial terms, and also in terms of our relationship with our supporters. And the pressure on someone like me - or anyone else trying to steer a club out of the Championship - is immense.

That said, it is a year ago this week since I took up this job at Hibs and, while we don't want to be where we are, we are far better prepared now for another season in the Championship than we were this time last year.

In terms of Rangers staying down with us, we always knew that two of the so-called 'big three' could stay down - and that is what has happened. So of course it is going to be tough. Having said that, if you look at the quality of Motherwell over these two play-off games against Rangers, I think, had they come down instead, they would have been just as tough an opponent.

The Championship is a really interesting place. I think people underestimate the quality there is in it. There are some really tough teams in this division and the competition is extremely healthy. And I think supporters are falling in love with Scottish football again. I think they enjoy the more competitive environment we are now seeing in the game.

We have reinvented Hibs in the past year. We always knew there was a chance we'd stay down, so we put contingencies in place. But it goes without saying that promotion is the goal of everyone. I'm not sure if that is any different - or more difficult - with Rangers staying put.

Stewart Gilmour (St Mirren chairman)

No offence to Motherwell, but I think it makes it more difficult for us that Rangers have remained in the Championship. Although the thing is, what kind of Rangers will we face next season? How much new investment will be put into that club? Until we know that, we can't be so sure.

Financially, it will certainly help us. We should get two sell-outs in the away end for Rangers. And the corporate side of it will be good for us.

At St Mirren we are past grieving. The Championship is ahead of us and I've been pleasantly surprised at the optimism around the club. Our season-ticket sales are actually marginally up on this time last year, and our fans appear to be looking forward to the challenge ahead.

I think the Championship may be a really good division, and Ian Murray said as much when we interviewed him. Ian said, 'don't underestimate the Championship, it is a really tough league.' So we know what we are coming up against.

Many of our fans are looking forward to the matches. We haven't played a competitive game against the likes of Morton or Falkirk in years. Plus, other supporters have told us they will not miss having to travel to the likes of Ross County, Caley Thistle and Aberdeen.

So there are pluses. We don't want to be where we are, but perversely, we are now looking forward to next season.

Mark Burchill (Livingston manager)

It will help the league financially with Rangers staying down. The fans they bring to our stadium might help me get an extra player or two in, or help with our wage-bill. So there is that aspect.

In football terms, I think it makes it more difficult for us, with Rangers staying down. But as a manager you want to come up against the best, and I think Rangers will prove to be the best in the division next season, even though they came up short this season.

Rangers have improved under Stuart McCall - I think he is a really good manager. But I think most managers in this division will be delighted thatRangers are still here. It is fantastic for the division.

"It's not intimidating facing Rangers. It is exciting, it gives you that challenge. For some of my Livi players, going to face Rangers at Ibrox is a chance they thought they might never get. So there will certainly be excitement.

Neil Doncaster (SPFL chief executive):

The Championship had a massively increased profile last season, with Hearts, Hibs and Rangers in there, and that is set to be the case again, with Hibs and Rangers still there. People are already wondering, will it be a close title race? Last season everyone thought the Championship would be just that, but it wasn't, so I say never predict anything. It is too unpredictable.

In SPFL terms, which division Rangers are in makes no difference to the [overall] broadcast monies coming in, though it may vary for individual clubs. We have also secured a title sponsorship, which was agreed irrespective of the make-up of next season's leagues.

Rangers staying put no doubt impacts on the clubs in the Premiership, in terms of their away support. But there are winners and losers: the clubs in the Championship will be delighted to still have two of the biggest clubs in the country coming to their stadiums.

In terms of finance, it is more about distribution, rather than the overall quantum.