Rangers told not to expect special SPL treatment

Scottish Premier League chief executive Neil Doncaster has told Rangers not to expect any special treatment if they apply for re-entry to the top-flight as a newco.

Prospective new owner Charles Green - who met with Doncaster and Scottish Football Association counterpart Stewart Regan at Hampden yesterday - is keen for the club to exit administration via a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

If a CVA is not possible, the consortium fronted by Green may be forced down a newco route instead.

Boss Ally McCoist has admitted in the past that dropping down to the Irn-Bru Third Division may be morally right but believes such a scenario would be to the detriment of the rest of the SPL.

Doncaster was quoted in several newspapers saying: “We will continue to deal with clubs equally under the rules.

“Our job is to apply those rules, without fear or favour to every single one of the 12 member clubs. That’s what we will do.

“It’s our job to explain that what we are doing is treating people equally. If everyone understands that, then what will be the reason to be aggrieved about the outcome?

“Every club will be treated exactly the same. I can’t get into ‘special cases’.

“Our job is to apply the rules fairly and evenly to every SPL club.”

The SPL are also investigating the alleged use of ‘double contracts’ at Ibrox but Doncaster says no verdict is expected soon.

He added: “It will take some time and, ultimately, it’s being done by our lawyers.

“How long will it take? How long has the HMRC case taken?

“These things take as long as they take.”