The Rumour Mill: Tuesday’s football news and gossip

RANGERS IN TURMOIL

• Former Rangers director Paul Murray plans to meet administrators Duff and Phelps in the coming days - together with a group of potential investors loosely labelled as the Blue Knights - to discuss his attempt to oust chairman Craig Whyte. Chartered accountant Murray believes the time to make a move is now, with uncertainty hanging over the club. (Express)

• It has emerged that Whyte sold off four years of Rangers season tickets one month before he bought the club for £1 from Sir David Murray. Whyte convinced Ticketus to advance him £24.4 million on the proviso that he would then buy the Ibrox club. (Mail)

• The SFA’s independent inquiry into Whyte begins today, and has the power to censure, fine, expel or susepend any football bodies, clubs, players, referees or persons found guilty of bringing the game into direspute. (Record)

• Rangers manager Ally McCoist will meet administrators today and urge them to slash wages rather than axe staff outright. It is understood that, following talks in recent days, the players are prepared to take severe pay cuts if it means the football club remains relatively intact. (Record)

• Rangers supporters say no-one should be allowed to take sole control of the club again, in the hope of averting future financial meltdowns. The Rangers Supporters Trust has met Duff and Phelps and provided them with a “shopping list” of requests by which they believe any potential takeover should be judged. (Scotsman)

• Kyle Bartley has been identified as the first potential casualty as Duff and Phelps look to cut costs. The on-loan Arsenal defender is currently injured and is likely to make an early return to the Emirates. (Sun)

• St Johnstone striker Fran Sandaza says he made the “right decision” by refusing to sign a pre-contract deal with Rangers during the transfer window as “the paper would be worthless”. (Sun)

• Swedish club GAIS are ready to call in FIFA over an unpaid debt of £240,000 they claim the Ibrox club owes them in training compensation for Mervan Celik. (Express)

• Concerns that the Scottish Premier League championship could be clinched at the next Old Firm match have been played down by both the police and the SPL. (Scotsman)

• Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has admitted he has not been surprised by the plight of Rangers. He said: “Well it is no surprise to anyone who knows Scottish football that this was going to happen.” (Scotsman)

Craig Levein continues to make no apology for the recruitment strategy which has led to the inclusion of the latest Anglo-Scot in the Scotland squad. Blackpool midfielder Matt Phillips’ call-up for next week’s friendly in Slovenia has both irked the English Football Association and further dismayed those who question whether it is desirable to have a Scotland squad which is so heavily reliant on English-born players. (Scotsman)

• Leeds striker Ross McCormack has spoken of his frustration at being snubbed by Levein. McCormack, who has scored 16 times this season, said: “I don’t feel as if I will be in the squad no matter if I score goals or not.” (Sun)

• Levein also made it clear he will not back down in the stalemate with Wolves striker Steven Fletcher. He said: “Through the evidence, I can tell you Steven doesn’t want to play for Scotland, in my opinion.” (Various)

• Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has launched an attack against the FA over Matt Phillips, because he can’t understand why the player was overlooked by his country. (Record)

Former Scotland international Nigel Quashie has agreed to join First Division outfit Dundee. The 33-year-old, who is a free agent after leaving QPR in 2010, could make his debut against Falkirk tonight. (Various)

Aberdeen boss Craig Brown insists the current injury crisis at the club won’t panic him into asking chairman Stewart Milne to buy more players. (Mail)

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