Rumour Mill: Mike Ashley | Ally McCoist

Union of the Fans have backed Ally McCoist. Picture: SNS

Mike Ashley hit with notice of complaint

The Scottish Football Association is ready to punish Mike Ashley and Rangers over the Newcastle United owner’s Ibrox involvement.

Hampden chiefs have issued both Ashley and the club with notices of complaints.

The latest development in the Gers saga came the same day as it was confirmed boss Ally McCoist had tendered his resignation.

Compliance Officer McGlennan has charged him with breaching two of the governing bodies’ rules.

Both the club and Ashley will face a principal hearing on Tuesday, January 27, next year. (Scotsman)

CONNECT WITH THE SCOTSMAN

• Subscribe to our daily newsletter (requires registration) and get the latest news, sport and business headlines delivered to your inbox every morning

• You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google +

Fans anger over treatment of Ally McCoist

Rangers fans have blasted bungling directors after they misspelled his name as they confirmed his resignation to the Stock Exchange. His name is actually Alistair not Alastair. Union of the Fans have defended McCoist, saying the board ‘attempted to throw a club legend under the bus’.

Spokesman Chris Graham said: “Ally has made the correct decision to resign. Things have not gone well this season on the park, and off it he’s seen the club decimated by the incompetents in the boardroom.” (Record)

Requisitioner Alex Wilson defends Ally McCoist

Alex Wilson, one of the ‘requisitioners’ who attempted to become a director has defended Ally McCoist saying he deserves the money the club has offered him. He said: “I won’t fault him for exercising a clause that is in his contract. I don’t blame him for taking that. He hasn’t got a case to answer. Nobody can doubt what he has been through. He has stuck with us through thick and thin.” (Times)

Hearts reveal operating profit during darkest days

Hearts have announced their financial accounts for the year ending June 2014 – and they reveal the club actually made an operating profit during their fraught 12-month spell in administration.

The period relating to the Tynecastle outfit’s results coincides almost exactly with the time the Edinburgh club was under the control of insolvency practitioners BDO.

Hearts, who have returned to health both on and off the pitch courtesy of the partnership between new majority shareholder Ann Budge and fans group the Foundation of Hearts, made an operating profit of £896,000 for the year.

During that period, staff costs were reduced from £5.4 million in 2013 to £2.9m, with the average number of players and coaching staff falling from 94 to 67. (Scotsman)

Ronny Deila hopes Celtic can be inspired by history

Ronny Deila hopes Celtic can be inspired by history when they seek to condemn Italian giants Inter Milan to a Europa League exit.

The Parkhead club were paired with Inter in yesterday’s last-32 draw in Nyon, creating a rematch of the Lisbon Lions’ famous victory in the 1967 European Cup final.

And Deila admits the echoes from Celtic’s finest hour add another dimension to the glamour tie against Roberto Mancini’s men.

‘It’s going to be a very good match and I’m really looking forward to it,’ said the Parkhead boss. ‘We are meeting a big opponent but we always have a chance.

‘I know Roberto Mancini is their manager now, that they have been struggling a bit for the last year or two and aren’t the team they were in 2010 when they won the Champions League.

‘But they are a good team and it’s going to be a tough game. Everything is possible, however, and we have everything to play for. We will have to be at our best in both games to hopefully go through.

‘The history adds to the match and every training exercise and match will be to prepare us as good as possible.’ (Mail)

Dylan McGeouch nears return for Hibs

Hibernian hope to have on-loan Celtic midfielder Dylan McGeouch back from injury in time for a double header against Rangers and Hearts during the festive period.

The 21-year-old has been out since October with an ankle injury that required surgery. Prior to that he had started to emerge as a pivotal player for the Easter Road side as they steadily put together a strong run of results after struggling to gel at the start of the season.

The Scotland Under-21 cap has been recovering from surgery back at Celtic with the help of the Parkhead side’s state-of-the-art equipment but is scheduled to step up his comeback bid this week at Hibs’ training base in East Lothian.

It is expected McGeouch will test out the ankle with a return to running on the East Mains pitches and head coach Alan Stubbs is optimistic the youngster could be declared fit for action in the near future. (Scotsman)

Stewart Milne vows to improve Aberdeen after ‘debt wipe’

Stewart Milne has vowed to deliver new state of the art training facilities and a new stadium after wiping out £14.9 million of debt. He will begin with pushing ahead with plans to build a training complex at Bridge of Don before reviving plans to move to a 21,000-seater stadium at Loirston. (Express)

Paul Paton at centre of spit probe

Paul Paton is at the centre of a spit storm after the SFA studied footage of him apparently spitting on Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes. Compliance officer Tony McGlennan is now probing the matter which could see disciplinary action taken against the Dundee United midfielder. (Record)

Paul Harltey blasts Gary Harkins over sending off

Dundee manager Paul Hartley has blasted star man Gary Harkins for a needless red card in Saturday’s defeat at Hamilton.

The midfielder saw red after he’d already been substituted at New Douglas Park.

Trouble flared late in the 2-1 loss when Accies striker Jason Scotland felled Thomas Konrad right in front of the Dark Blues dugout.

Harkins, replaced by Luka Tankulic just before the hour mark, rose from the bench to confront Scotland and was promptly given his second yellow of the game by ref. Alan Muir.

“He was already on a yellow and, according to the referee, it all kicked off from Gary’s aggressive approach to the situation, which doesn’t help us,” said Paul.

“We’re not big in numbers as it is.” (Evening Telegraph)

News in brief:

• Ian Baraclough wants Kenny black to stay on and be his assistant. (Sun)

• Thierry Henry is set to join Sky’s broadcasting team. (Various)

• Jamie Fullarton will be interviewed by St Mirren for their vacant manager’s job. (Sun)

• Mark Roberts has been sacked as Ayr United boss. (Sun)

• Wayne Rooney has insisted that the title is the target for Manchester United. (Mail)

SCOTSMAN TABLET AND IPHONE APPS

• Download your free 30-day trial for our iPad, Android and Kindle apps

• Keep up to date with all aspects of Scottish life with The Scotsman iPhone app, completely free to download and use

Rumour Mill: Mike Ashley | Ally McCoist | Celtic