SFA chief warns Dave King over Rangers return

Former Rangers director Dave King takes his seat in the stand at New Bayview. Picture: SNS

On Friday, King flew in from South Africa to Glasgow and said that he now “knows for sure” that his attempted appointment as Rangers chairman would be ratified. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” King had said. “I’ve checked this fully with the relevant people.”

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, Regan said: “There’ll be mitigating factors and we’re hypothesising. Article 10 tells us exactly what’s allowed under ‘fit and proper’. We have had no contact from Rangers or anyone else regarding Dave King. As far as we are concerned, any suggestions that he has no issues as far as the SFA’s fit and proper test is concerned is a little premature.

“I spoke to [director] Brian Stockbridge last night and he assured me that as far as the club is concerned there is no discussion on Dave King’s fit and proper requirements. Until the process is kicked off it is very difficult for us to make any comment.”

When told of Regan’s comments, King sought to clarify that when he referred to the “relevant people” he was talking about the financial authorities rather than the football authorities. Regan said he was surprised to hear of King’s comments on Friday. “You need full disclosure of the facts and that requires the club to lay those out to us, if they believe there are issues the Professional Game Board need to consider.”

Regan has not met King, pictured, since last summer. “He wanted to understand the process that had to be followed if he was to be considered [as a director]. At the time he wanted to be involved in one of the consortiums [vying for control of Rangers]. I set out to him what the process was and told him he would need to disclose fully anything he felt was relevant as far as Article 10 is concerned.

“What he has is an understanding of the process. What he hasn’t had is any assurances from myself or any of my board or colleagues about any proposal for him to join the board.”

King, who attended Rangers’ match against East Fife yesterday, said: “I haven’t even approached the SFA. The comments I gave when I arrived were in relation to the AIM requirements and were nothing to do with the SFA. But I’m certainly very happy, when the time comes and we’ve something to put towards them, that it’ll be fine. We just haven’t got to that point yet.

“I’ve had a total of six meetings since I came here. All of the meetings have agreed to be private and confidential. But I regard each of them as very constructive in what I’m hoping to achieve. I think it would be premature of me to speculate that I’m there yet. I’ve had six meetings and each and every one has been a good and positive one, but we’re not there yet.”

n Raith Rovers have said they will refuse to play the Ramsdens Cup final at Ibrox. The Fifers will meet the winners of Tuesday’s semi-final between Stenhousemuir and Rangers.

Eric Drysdale, the Raith director, said: “Raith Rovers will be happy to play the final against Stenhousemuir and Rangers at any neutral venue of the SPFL board’s choosing.”

The SPFL board is due to discuss the matter tomorrow. Rangers manager Ally McCoist has suggested Celtic Park. “I’d play the final anywhere,” he said. “Parkhead would obviously be able to accommodate more of a crowd than anywhere else and we’ve played cup finals there before.”