SPFL: Rangers are the same club post-liquidation

SPFL chief Neil Doncaster has looked to draw a line under the debate. Picture: Ian Rutherford

While the company which owned Rangers went out of business, Doncaster was adamant the club remained the same when it was taken over by the new company.

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Backing up his argument, Doncaster pointed to the findings of the Lord Nimmo Smith commission, which investigated the use of EBT payments made during the David Murray era at Ibrox.

Speaking at a BBC Q&A, Doncaster said: “In terms of the question about old club, new club, that was settled very much by the Lord Nimmo Smith commission that was put together by the SPL to look at EBT payments at that time.

“The decision, very clearly from the commission, was that the club is the same, the club continues, albeit it is owned by a new company but the club is the same.

“The member club is the entity that participates in our league and we have 42 member clubs.”

Those who insist it remains the same club were recently vindicated in their argument when a tribunal ordered Dundee United to pay £204,000 for the signing of Charlie Telfer, with one of Rangers’ arguments being that they had developed the player for 10 years.

In an ill-advised statement on their website, Rangers even criticised United for pursuing the ‘new club’ argument, though this later had to be retracted after lawyers representing United contacted the Ibrox club.

• Dundee United: Telfer Rangers payout ‘ridiculous’

• Rangers liquidators probe Telfer cash claim

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