SPFL to hold talks over Rangers EBT verdict - reports

THE SPFL will today hold crisis talks to discuss what course of action, if any, is to be taken in the aftermath of the Big Tax Case verdict against Rangers, according to the Scottish Daily Mail.

The SPFL board will meet at Hampden today, according to reports. Picture: John Devlin

On Wednesday the Court of Session ruled in favour of HMRC that oldco Rangers were liable to pay tax on the Employee Benefit Trusts given to players and managers.

It has brought the question of “tainted titles” back into the public debate with many demanding Rangers be stripped of competitions won from 2001 to 2010, the years when EBTs were used.

It is believed that, having initially ruled on the issue back in 2012, when the league was governed under the SPL body, the SPFL feel powerless to hand out any fresh punishment to Rangers.

This is despite Wednesday’s verdict contradicting the findings of Lord Nimmo Smith, who chaired the independent investigation back in 2012 and based the punishment - a £250k fine - on Rangers winning the original case against them by HMRC.

Even still, the nine-man SPFL board will still meet to discuss any possible options available to them and whether any other punishment would be justified.

Either the Murray Group of liquidators BDO have 28 days to appeal the latest decision with the Supreme Court. If they decide to do so it is likely this saga will drag on for at least another year.