MEMBERS of the Scottish Football League have voted decisively in favour of newco Rangers starting life in the Third Division in the forthcoming season, it was confirmed today.
The 30 SFL teams gathered at Hampden Park in Glasgow today to decide whether Charles Green’s newco Rangers should enter the league and which division they should be placed in.
Twenty-nine clubs accepted Rangers as an associate member of the SFL while 25 clubs voted in favour of placing the newco team into the bottom tier.
“Furthermore, the Scottish Football League’s only acceptable position will be to place Rangers FC into the Third Division of the Irn-Bru Scottish Football League from the start of this season.”
Longmuir also stated that he was ‘comfortable’ with the outcome of the vote and that the decision from the SFL clubs was taken with the sport’s best interests at heart.
He said: “I’m comfortable today that the Scottish Football League made a very, very decisive decision that was based on sporting fairness and I think the Scottish Football League were in the right place to make that decision.
“This decision followed a tried-and-tested process and was taken in cognisance with the other options which were available for consideration.
“Today’s decision has been one of the most difficult for all concerned but it has been taken in the best interest of sporting fairness which is the fundamental principle of the Scottish Football League.
“The Scottish Football League has been entirely consistent with our willingness to work with other bodies to ensure that we focus on rebuilding our game, restoring pride in our game and exploring revenue streams and our willingness to achieve these aims does not alter.”
The decision comes despite concerted pressure from the governing bodies to ensure that the Ibrox club did not drop to the bottom rung of Scottish football.
On Wednesday the Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Premier League and the SFL released a joint statement detailing a package of reforms as a carrot for clubs to ensure Rangers newco would start afresh in the second tier.
Earlier in the week, SFA chief executive Stewart Regan claimed that placing the Govan club into the Third Division would bring financial catastrophe and a “slow, lingering death” of the game.
The outcome of the vote is likely to have serious repercussions for the footballing authorities in Scotland, amid plans for league reconstruction.
It has been suggested that the Scottish Premier League could now press ahead with plans for an SPL2, including Rangers, and invite current First Division clubs to join.
Such a move, however, would incur the wrath of the majority of supporters and clubs in Scotland.
Dunfermline chairman John Yorkston said it would not be a shock to see the SFA and SPL formulating plans for an SPL2. “That wouldn’t surprise me,” he said.
“The 10 First Division clubs sent out a message today saying that we are looking for a 42-club solution, the vote was 25 to five so I think that was fairly unanimous.”
Yorkston was echoing Longmuir’s comments which made up part of the statement read to the gathered media.
Longmuir said: “Something I would like to say very clearly today is that he First Division clubs in particular made it very clear to us that they are looking for an all 42-club solution to Scottish football’s restructuring issue - that was a very clear direction of the will of all SFL clubs.”
As it stands, Rangers will take over Stranraer’s fixtures in the Third Division, with Stranraer promoted to the Second Division and Airdrie United returning to the First Division.
A decision on whether Dunfermline or Dundee will take the ‘Club 12’ slot in the SPL is due on Monday.
Meanwhile the Following statement has been issued by the Queen of the South Board of Directors on the club's Official Website ..
QOS Board statement
From the Board of Directors ...
Today QOS attended the SFL meeting in Glasgow to vote on Rangers Newco being allowed into Scottish League Division 1.
As I am sure you are now aware the vote was 25 against and 5 for, therefore Rangers Newco will enter Scottish League Division 3. The board of QOS considered all options open to them but always ensuring that the best interests of the club and Scottish football in general would be best served. Before casting our vote we listened to final positions from SFA and Rangers Newco and decided that it was in the best interests of all to vote in favour of Rangers Newco entering Scottish League Division 1, which also included the “heads of terms” for the re structure of Scottish football. Further information about the reasoning behind this decision will be given in due course.
This was not a decision taken lightly by the board and one which they felt best protected their shareholders and the club. As you will see in the soon to be published accounts, we for the first time in a number of years will show a profit which is a fantastic turnaround from where we were. We could have taken the view to vote no and just followed others but we voted with the clubs interests at heart.
Now the decision is in favour of not allowing Rangers Newco into Scottish League Division 1 we will support the democratic decision of the other member clubs.
We await a response from the SFA to today’s decision.
Board of Directors QOS