The Rumour Mill: Wednesday’s football news and gossip

RANGERS IN CRISIS

• Ally McCoist said yesterday that he believes dropping out of the SPL and applying for entry into the Third Division of Scottish football may be the best option for the club in light of the sanctions imposed this week by the SFA (Scotsman)

• McCoist has demanded to know the identity of the three members of the SFA panel which fined the Ibrox club £160,000 and imposed a 12-month transfer embargo (Record)

• The Rangers manager has accused the SFA of trying to kill off the Ibrox club (Sun)

• Duff and Phelps are set to go to court later in the year in the hope of adding around £30m to the club’s bank account. They are seeking £3.6m which is resting in the account of Craig Whyte’s solicitor Collyer Bristow. The administrators are also looking for £25m in damages from the pair for their part, in what they allege, was an “unlawful conspiracy” (Express)

• Duff and Phelps have also called on the SPL and SFA to reveal the full extent of any future sanctions that could be imposed on the club should it be found guilty of having players on separate contracts during the Murray era (Mail)

• The Rangers Supporters Trust has called on players at the club to refuse to play for the Scotland national side following the penalties given to the club by the SFA (Express)

SFA to change rules to clamp down on rogue owners

The SFA is looking to close the loophole which allows club owners to escape paying fines imposed on them by the association.

Craig Whyte has said he will not pay the £200K fine handed out this week. The money would normally be deducted from the club through payments netted out by the SFA if payment was not received.

However although Craig Whyte is club owner, he is not a club official meaning that he can use the loophole. (Sun)

Extra promotion place for SPL could be up for grabs

Dundee’s match at Ayr on Sunday could turn into a promotion clincher after it emerged that the runners-up in the First Division could play in the SPL next season if Rangers go bust. (Express)

Celtic can win nine in a row

Lisbon Lion Billy McNeil says Celtic can go on to win nine in a row if Rangers go bust and added that the Parkhead side’s title win this season could be the first of many (Sun)

Barry Bannan in Team GB vow

Aston Villa midfielder Barry Bannan has become the first Scottish player to say that he would accept a call-up from Team GB should he receive a call-up. (Herald)

IN BRIEF

• Celtic pre-contract signing Jaroslaw Fojut faces an anxious two week wait to find out the extent of a knee ligament injury. He is due to move to Parkhead on July 1

• Peter Houston is hopeful of keeping defender Robbie Neilson at Dundee United next season once his current deal expires at the end of the season

• Celtic midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury picked up against Motherwell on Sunday

• Hibs striker Garry O’Connor will be fit to face St Mirren on Sunday despite limping off during his side’s defeat to Kilmarnock on Sunday