It’s not a European night for Rangers unless the Ibrox club’s fans are slaughtering the SPFL for their best wishes on Twitter.
The professional members’ body always applauds the Scottish teams playing in European competition but to suggest there’s bad blood between the SPFL and Rangers is an understatement.
The powers that be in Scotland are certainly not the most popular figures at Ibrox or amongst the Rangers support, with both believing the SPFL are woefully undermining the game in Scotland.
Rangers’ long-standing disagreements with the board of the organisation – which represents all 42 member clubs across four divisions – have also been reenergised this season.
After the end of season voting debacle which gifted Celtic a title and unfairly relegated Hearts and Partick Thistle the Gers asked for SPFL chief Neil Doncaster’s head.
It might not have rolled then but in signing a disastrous deal with used car sales business cinch the wounds have been reopened.
Rangers have invoked rule 17 of the SPFL’s articles and will not promote the deal – which gives Scotland such a meagre amount of money for sponsorship – on their kits or in their ground due to a clash with exisitng arrangements.
The deal is worth £8m over five years and also gives a £500k commission to third parties who secured the deal. Even without the commercial clash, Scottish football’s being undersold.
As the Gers prepare to face Alashkert in the Europa League, Rangers fans have been biting back at the SPFL for having the audacity to Tweet them:
https://twitter.com/Beatthatbeat/status/1428324049554493440
Rangers are preparing to host Alashkert as the club aims to reach the Europa League group stages for the fourth year in a row under Steven Gerrard.
For anyone who wants a bit of perspective regarding how bad the cinch deal is for the Scottish game, read more about car sales company’s potential £10m deal with a Premier League club.
