Rangers administration: Ally McCoist backs SFA’s independent inquiry into Whyte’s stormy tenure

RANGERS manager Ally McCoist last night gave his full backing to the Scottish Football Association’s independent inquiry in to “potential breaches of the articles of association” relating to Craig Whyte’s ten-month stewardship of the club.

The SFA stated on Friday that “new information” had come to light following the appointment of Duff & Phelps as administrators at the club as regards the investigation they opened in December over whether Whyte met the “fit and proper persons” requirements.

McCoist, who said following his side’s 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock that he had not spoken to the club’s owner since Monday, welcomed the governing body’s moves irrespective of whether the outcome of any investigation brought repercussions for the Ibrox club.

“As manager of the club I would encourage it,” he said of the SFA’s inquiry. “[I do so] because the amount of clarity which comes out in the whole issue is vital to everyone. We want all the facts and figures, everything, disclosed.

“It’s the very least the supporters and the staff deserve and obviously you would see that as a way forward too. Any investigation, I’d wholly support.”

McCoist reiterated that he sees the administrators’ active involvement in the signing of Daniel Cousin as “encouraging” as it increases hopes that the entire Ibrox playing staff can be retained. Administrator Paul Clark signed the paperwork on the contract for the striker, but the player did not feature yesterday with his registration blocked by the SPL.

“I haven’t spoken to them regarding Cousin but we’ll talk,” McCoist said. “They totally backed us to attempt to get him to the club and it was the board of the SPL knocked it back. That would certainly support the administrators saying job cuts aren’t inevitable, even they are a possibility. I find that encouraging.”

Clark himself yesterday defended the recruitment of Cousin. “It wasn’t a decision that was taken lightly,” he said, in response to questions about the morality of trying to sign a player while other employees at the club might soon be made redundant.

“We spoke to Ally McCoist and did our best to get him registered so he would be available today. We found it incredibly frustrating and disappointing that having gone through that process that Daniel is not available. We’re going to look at the position again next week. The SPL said we have the right to appeal but we will only consider that in the early part of next week.

“It’s a fine balance between getting the playing structure right and the staff right. At the end of the day it is a football club and we have to make this business work.”