Rangers administration: Craig Whyte and club are charged by SFA

RANGERS and their majority shareholder Craig Whyte have been charged by the Scottish Football Association with seven breaches of its rules.

The charges arise out of the inquiry by Lord Nimmo Smith which found Whyte to be not “a fit and proper person” to run a club. A hearing has been set for 29 March.

The club face five charges, and Whyte two, all arising from the period 6 May 2011 to 6 March 2012. Whyte has been charged separately with breaking the SFA’s rules 66 and 71. The former is the catch-all rule which ordains that officials, clubs, players and others should not bring the game into disrepute. Rule 71 is a similarly worded stipulation that everyone under the jurisdiction of the SFA should “not act in any manner which is improper”.

Rangers have been charged with breaches of those two rules and of Nos 1, 2 and 14. The first says that member clubs shall comply with the regulations of all governing bodies. Rule 2 states that clubs shall ensure that staff and officials comply with Rule 1. And Rule 14 allows for a range of punishments for a club which undergoes “an insolvency event”.