There will be no Rangers/newco/Sevco 5088/whatever you want to call them playing in the SPL next season - that much is clear. At the time of writing, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Hearts, Hibs, Inverness, St. Johnstone and St. Mirren have made it clear that, on 4th July, they will vote 'no' on whether they should be allowed into the top flight next year. The million-dollar question is now "In what division will Rangers play next season?".
Or should I call that the £16 million question? For that was the figure used by a document sent by the Scottish Premier League to Scottish Football League clubs yesterday. The SPL board claimed it was providing vital info on what would happen to the national game if Rangers played in the first division next year, compared to what would happen if they were dumped into division three and sent to play the likes of Elgin, Peterhead and Montrose.
What it actually amounted to was a feeble and blatant attempt to coerce, bully and blackmail the lower league clubs into taking Rangers two tiers higher in their pyramid than the rulebook allows.
If you want to read it, STV published, in written form, the power point presentation that was sent to the clubs.
Channel 4 investigative journalist Alex Thomson claims that a Hampden insider told him "it should be met with utter contempt by all decent football fans". That sounds just about right.
It can be summarized as thus - the SFL will finally get it's extra promotion place from the first division, plus a bit more cash, in exchange for taking newco Rangers in the first division. If they don't agree, then the SPL will start an SPL2, containing newco Rangers, and invite who they like (presumably the more sympathetic clubs) to come under their umbrella and leave those who want Rangers dumped in the third division to rot.
Reassuringly, it has quickly met with opposition, particularly from first division teams and fans. Several years have been spent debating how to reorganize the professional leagues, so there is an understandable scepticism about creating and implementing a solution in just over five weeks before the new season starts.
But whose idea was this shambolic plan?
As regards the SPL clubs, we already know that seven have declined to support the newco, and pretty much all have cited the views of their fans as having a huge impact on their decision. It would seem to be business suicide if they were to then turn around and kick their customers in the teeth by claiming this solution protected the integrity of the game.
Of the other clubs, Motherwell are holding a fans' consultation, while Ross County have only just turned up. Several comments by Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston suggest he would have moved heaven and earth to get the newco into the SPL, to the horror of the Killie faithful. But it seems unlikely that they would have the clout to push such a plan.
Which, of course, leaves the Old Firm.
Celtic's silence over the last few months has been deafening. Their support, of course, would love to see their deadly rivals hit as hard as they possibly can be. But, even though the result of the newco vote is now certain, the Parkhead club have refused to reveal which side they would take. Could it be that they feel the loss of Old Firm games and the resultant revenue streams would hurt them too much?
Since the reconstruction proposal must have come from the SPL board, and Celtic are members of that board, it doesn't take a huge leap of imagination to wonder if the Hoops are at least partly behind it.
But the one person who seems certain to have a finger (or a big fat hand) in this pie is the SPL's chief executive Neil Doncaster. For it seems like Doncaster has done everything to champion Rangers and their bastard son Newco. He failed to push on the 'dual contracts' investigation until, three months after it had started, Mark Daly and the BBC forced him to admit that Rangers had failed to cooperate up to that point. He claimed to the press (and incredulous supporters) that a CVA and a Newco were basically the same thing, and that a Newco is a normal way for a football club to come out of administration - try telling that to fans of Motherwell, Dundee and Livingston. And those of Darlington, who were relegated four divisions by the English FA for trying to pull the Newco trick.
Then he went on Newsnight Scotland and tried to justify the lack of a Fit and Proper Persons test by claiming "It would stop someone like Gandhi from owning a football club".
To give you an idea of this man's mindset, he claimed that the infamous 2010-11 Scottish Cup tie between the Old Firm, where McCoist and Lennon had a huge spat on the touchline and several players did just about enough to justify 'breach of the peace' charges, was excellent for the Scottish game as it brought more publicity.
With the SFA's own reconstruction plans involving bringing the SPL and the SFL under their own wing, Doncaster's own job is on the brink of becoming extinct. He might not even last till Hampden Park get their act together. His actions in his current post are already enough to justify sacking him. If he indeed was the champion of the SPL's pathetic power point, then he should clear his desk immediately. And if he wasn't? Well, he is still the figurehead for this shameful action, and I still demand his resignation.
L.
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