Have Rangers been screwing the taxman?

Hang on a mo, have I got this right?

No, the bit about Rangers being £29 million in debt doesn't surprise me. It's not so long that the figure being banded about was double that.

It's the tax bill that made my eyes leap out on stalks.

The taxman is already awaiting £2.8 million rhat apparently Rangers owe from between 1999 and 2003, the significance of which is unclear; The Ibrox side's chairman Alistair Johnston has made a big deal out of how the club "have done nothing illegal", which is interesting considering no-one had openly accused them of doing so. Even more curioser is this quote: "I have no idea of the sum for which we may be liable, but Rangers cannot afford much." It's not easy to be sympathetic to this, since only nine months have passed since £4 million was shelled out on striker Nikica Jelavic.

But the blog of BBC Scotland's Douglas Fraser suggests "The figures bandied around are north of £20 million." If that means the full tax bill, rather than the total debt, that is, er, slightly scary.

It's not too long since Dundee ended up in administration because they couldn't pay £300 grand to the HRMC. I know Rangers are a much bigger business, but that is a much, much bigger debt. Gregg Whyte must have a very good plan if he still fancies taking the club over...which appears to involve David Murray footing the tax bill.

As for Rangers supporters slagging off Lloyds Bank for wanting their money back...er, that's why the money was loaned, not gifted. Funny that how, with Rangers' income not increasing, and fewer and fewer saleable assets on the pitch, the bankers don't think the club can be trusted to sort out their debt on their own.

Sorry, but I couldn't be less sympathetic if I was asked to provide Colonel Gaddafi with asylum. Good luck to the banks and to the taxman; Rangers deserve to reap what they have sown.

L.