Rangers ready to provide evidence to justify calls for SPFL probe

Ibrox club promise to share dossier of information on vote to end season

Rangers remain set on an investigation into the SPFL's handling of the vote on ending the 2019-20 season. Picture: SNS.

Rangers have revealed they are ready to share evidence they believe warrants an independent investigation into the validity of the SPFL vote to curtail the season.

The Ibrox club have already called for an emergency general meeting of all clubs to vote on plans for a probe.

They have the required support of two other clubs, understood to be Hearts and Stranraer. In order to then secure an independent investigation Rangers need the agreement of 75 per cent of clubs. Hearts owner Ann Budge has called on Rangers to produce evidence before the vote, while Ross County owner Roy 
MacGregor was more trenchant in his opinion that the Ibrox club should “front up or shut up”.

Rangers insist they will distribute the “alarming evidence” once an emergency general meeting is confirmed. “It has always been Rangers’ intention to produce our evidence at the appropriate time. The evidence will be provided to all member clubs well in advance of a general meeting to approve an independent investigation,” a club statement said last night.

Rangers previously alleged there had been “bullying” of clubs ahead of the vote, which ended the three lower divisions and gave the SPFL board the authority to do the same for the Premiership.

Rangers’ requisition is set to be discussed at a scheduled SPFL board meeting today. The Ibrox club are pushing for an investigation to ensure that the SPFL board, which includes Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson, “have the support and confidence” of clubs. They have already called for league 
chief executive Neil Doncaster and legal advisor Rod McKenzie to be suspended while an independent review takes place.

“There are key issues to be discussed and agreed within Scottish football including the circumstances and dates on which football can resume, the health and safety of all involved and the financial implications for members,” said the statement.

“It is vital that those involved in making those decisions have the confidence and support of member clubs. An independent investigation provides a route to achieving this.”

The SPFL set up an internal review led by chairman Murdoch MacLennan and independent board member Karyn McCluskey and brought in auditors Deloitte to look into the circumstances which led to Dundee’s crucial vote going missing. Rangers, along with other clubs, are unhappy with the narrow scope of this review.

Deloitte’s report found “no evidence of improper behaviour” and confirmed the SPFL’s version of events – that Dundee’s ‘no’ vote got lost in the SPFL’s email quarantine and they had subsequently made it clear they wanted more time to consider after discovering they had the casting vote.