Rangers look set to ignore the pleas of SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan and continue the fight against the perceived failings of the governing body.
That’s because the club released a strongly-worded statement on Tuesday evening in response to their resolution being rejected during the SPFL EGM.
42 clubs gathered by videoconference but only 13 voted in favour of an independent investigation into the SPFL’s April vote to end the lower-league season.
As some Gers fans predicted, though, the club are viewing this as a vindication of the resolution rather than a landslide defeat.
Rangers point to a modicum of support for an investigation across all four divisions as evidence of a significant level of distrust in the current board, while they also assert that “it would be unwise to regard this result as any kind of endorsement of the SPFL executive.”
“A light has been shone on the SPFL’s governance and regardless of the attempts to debunk our report, there is widespread acknowledgement that it highlighted serious issues and failings which remain to be addressed,” continues the statement [Rangers.co.uk].
“A management culture which not only fears accountability and scrutiny but which actively campaigns against it, is unhealthy and breeds continued mistrust. This culture, so deeply embedded, must be addressed if Scottish football is to flourish.
“It is clear that many members have lost confidence in the SPFL leadership and the need for change will not diminish.
“The status quo cannot hold.”
Verdict
The resolution may not have received the required support to trigger an investigation, but this statement suggests the matter is far from closed.
SPFL Chairman, Murdoch MacLennan, claimed in the wake of the result that Scottish football “simply cannot afford the distraction of further infighting or legal challenges” [BBC Scotland], but it seems Rangers will be sticking to their guns.
There’s no explicit reference to legal action in today’s statement but the desire to take this further is clear in the language used.
It seems the club will not rest until the actions of Neil Doncaster and co. are, at the very least, thoroughly investigated.
