SPFL respond by insisting Rangers' resolution was rejected because it would have been "ineffective if passed"
Saturday 11 April 2020 20:13, UK
Rangers will resubmit a members resolution arguing for prize money to be released early after having their initial proposal deemed "not competent" by the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).
In a statement released on Friday, Rangers accused the SPFL Executive of slowing the club's attempts to find an alternative solution to the one proposed by the league's governing body, which is set to be voted on at 5pm.
Rangers said that over the last 36 hours they had received "numerous reports" from fellow Scottish clubs of attempts to "coerce and bully" them into voting for the SPFL's resolution, which proposes that the Scottish Championship, League One and League Two seasons are ended early, resulting in promotions and relegations.
The SPFL responded with a statement of their own reiterating their stance that Rangers' resolution "would be ineffective if passed," and therefore could not be circulated, and appeared to question the club's decision not to consult the SPFL's lawyers while drafting their proposals.
Earlier this week Rangers voiced their strong opposition to a proposal, warning of "severe consequences for the Scottish game" and labelling plans to relegate clubs "abhorrent".
"As a member club, we sought assistance from the SPFL Executive on several occasions yesterday, to ensure our resolution was deemed competent," a club statement said.
"For the avoidance of doubt, no advice was forthcoming prior to the meeting starting.
"Now that the SPFL have belatedly identified the reason why our members resolution was not competent, we will immediately resubmit our resolution, based upon their advice.
"If this advice had been forthcoming earlier, we would not have lost valuable time in this process. We are confused as to why attempts have been made to slow the progress of Rangers' resolution."
The league has announced proposals to immediately end the three divisions below the top flight and determine final placings by points per game in league matches played to date by each club.
Wednesday's resolution also recommends that the Scottish Premiership remains postponed for the time being, although final season placings would be determined by the same system if the SPFL's board determines matches cannot be played.
That could see Celtic crowned champions for the ninth successive season and Hearts relegated, but the immediate impact of the plans would be relegation for Partick Thistle and Stranraer.
SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan believes the measures enable "the best possible outcome for Scottish football in these very demanding and unique circumstances" - something Rangers robustly contest.
Falkirk chairman Gary Deans also outlined that they were firmly against the SPFL's proposal, stating that it had been a rushed process.
Deans said that Falkirk sent their own proposal, similar to Rangers' submission, after voting against the SPFL's: "Our proposition is to release cash to clubs. There are clubs out there in financial difficulty, so getting cash out to clubs is sensible.
"I think the lawyers need to be instructed to make it work. We don't know when we will be back playing football. If the government can react in the way that they have been doing to save businesses and jobs, surely 42 clubs can come up with a plan."
Deans also believes the SPFL have put themselves into a corner by trying to tie in ending the season with paying out cash to clubs.
Deans said: "I think by linking so many things together - the financial output, the end of the season and also trying to link this into reconstruction - linking all these things together, they ended up putting themselves into a bit of a corner.
"They've caused these difficulties for themselves. I've got a huge amount of sympathy for them but I think it could have been handled a lot better."
Hearts and Partick have also issued statements outlining their intention to vote against the plans, though Livingston have come out in favour.
"The SPFL board received a requisition from Rangers, supported by two other clubs, that the board must issue a further resolution to members. This resolution sought to compel the SPFL to lend money to all 42 clubs," the SPFL statement said.
"The Board took legal advice from a leading QC on the proposed resolution. By law, the members of a private company can require their Board to circulate a resolution, unless such resolution would be ineffective if passed.
"The clear and unequivocal legal advice received by the SPFL is that the resolution received from Rangers is ineffective in terms of company law. As a result, the Board determined this morning that it cannot be circulated to members."
Steven Gerrard's second-placed side are 13 points behind Celtic and "firmly believe that the 2019/20 season is only complete when all 38 games have been played to a finish", while they say this SPFL resolution cannot be accepted.
Rangers also claimed that efforts had been made to slow their attempts to provide an alternate resolution, saying that they had contacted the SPFL "on several occasions" on Thursday seeking to ensure their proposals had been deemed competent.
However, the SPFL insisted that their lawyer didn't hear from the club until late on Thursday evening.
"For the avoidance of doubt, only at 10.18pm yesterday did the SPFL's lawyer receive an email from Rangers seeking advice on the content of their resolution, which was put before the SPFL Board first thing this morning," the SPFL statement added.
"Rangers have expressed a desire to submit a further resolution. The SPFL's lawyers will work with Rangers, as they will with any other member club, who wishes to put forward a resolution.
"The offer to help clubs with the drafting of their resolutions was made during the divisional conference calls on Wednesday. Rangers chose to proceed without seeking that help, with the result that their resolution was ineffective."
