The stand-off between Rangers and the SPFL over the league’s title sponsorship with cinch reached new levels as a Hibs star was forced out in front of the cameras to accept a Man of the Match award.
Rangers are refusing to play ball with the SPFL’s sponsorship deal with the online used-car sales business due to a commercial clash with Douglas Parks’ own used-car enterprises.
As part of this Rangers don’t display any cinch branding at their stadium or on their kits and the entire thing has wound up in a messy legal battle in which Rangers have landed early blows.
You may have noticed that the Hibs manager and the Rangers boss did interviews in front of different screens due to the dispute and as the club’s AGM proved, Rangers won’t be letting up.
But another aspect of the situation involves the cinch Man of the Match – included in the meagre £1.6m per year contract – and awarded at the end of Sky Sports’ coverage of the game.
Because Rangers won’t be supply a player to fulfil that contract, Hibs were forced to send out Jack Doyle-Hayes at the end of the game.
A despondent Doyle-Hayes could barely muster a sentence to the camera in what has to be one of the most hilarious Man of the Match awards ever given.
Rangers ran out 1-0 winners at Easter Road courtesy of a Kemar Roofe penalty late in the second half.
The decision to award Rangers penalty has been enough to see howling aplenty from the usual suspects with the award now up for “debate” despite the stonewall nature of it.
Rangers supporters have been very appreciative however of Hibs centre-back Ryan Porteous who rashly stuck out a leg and – despite his protestations – gave away the spot-kick.
