David Longmuir - â??We would welcome application from Rangers to rejoin the SFLâ??

[Zappa 0]

By ALAN PATTULLO

Published on Thursday 26 April 2012 01:06

 

Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir has stepped into the debate about Rangersâ?? future by saying he would welcome an application from the Ibrox club to start again in the Third Division.

 

The request could come from a so-called â??newcoâ?? arising from the ashes of the Ibrox club or from the current, imperilled incarnation of Rangers. Either way, Longmuir has indicated a willingness to consider the option of Rangers rejoining the SFL. The Ibrox club were among the ten clubs who broke away to form the Scottish Premier League in 1998. They were one of ten original members of the SFL in 1890.

 

Longmuir was speaking after Ally McCoist, the Rangers manager, admitted on Tuesday that he was â??leaning towardsâ? the drastic measure of Rangers dropping out of the SPL and applying to play in the Third Division. McCoist made this admission 24 hours after the announcement by the Scottish Football Association confirming the sanctions against Rangers for five breaches of its rules, including a 12-month transfer embargo. â??Make no mistake about it, it would be an unbelievably drastic measure and it will have an incredible impact on Scottish football â?? and not for the good,â? he said.

 

Longmuir has stated that he has no objection to this happening in principle, although he did point out that the SFL does not currently have a spot to fill.

 

According to SPL rules, if Rangers are liquidated before the end of the season on 13 May then there will be no relegation from the top tier. However, it is understood that if the club are liquidated after the end of the season then the bottom club in the SPL â?? either Dunfermline or Hibernian â?? will still be relegated, meaning the top two sides in the First Division would be promoted. â??At the moment we donâ??t have a vacancy but, should one arise, there is a mechanism in place which would allow that to happen,â? said Longmuir. â??If, for example, the club which finished second in the First Division also moves up to the SPL then that would create a gap in our bottom tier.

 

â??A similar thing happened in 2008 when Gretna folded,â? he continued. â??We then implemented an application process and assessed the five candidates on a number of issues before inviting Annan Athletic to join.

 

â??Consequently, should Rangers find themselves â?? for whatever reason â?? unable to compete in the SPL then we would welcome any application for them to join us.â?

 

Dundee are currently in second place in the First Division, behind champions Ross County. The Dens Park side can secure the runners-up spot with a win against Ayr United at Somerset Park on Saturday.

 

However, Scot Gardiner, the Dundee chief executive, yesterday played down talk that his club could yet feature in next seasonâ??s SPL, after seven years spent in the First Division. Gardiner instead sent a message of support to Rangers, with Dundee having spent the majority of last season in administration. He insisted that Dundee would

 

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spl/rangers-administration-we-would-welcome-application-from-rangers-to-rejoin-the-sfl-1-2256021

[UCF2008 0]

Longmuir has stated that he has no objection to this happening in principle, although he did point out that the SFL does not currently have a spot to fill.

 

No shit sherlock

 

This is the level of mentality of those running (not to mention reporting on) our game. The guy even goes into hypothetical scenarios where it might be possible. Basic arithmetic = out the window. Unbelievable.

Edited April 27, 2012 by UCF2008

[biggordy 0]

Just who are these arrogant nobodys running the Game!

Out of the frying pan etc.

We must head South!

[GovanAllan 0]

Just who are these arrogant nobodys running the Game!

Out of the frying pan etc.

We must head South!

The game has been going backwards in this country for my whole lifetime and that's a long time, the people in this country who run our game should hang their heads in shame.

[calscot 0]

How can there be no vacancy? If Rangers are liquidated and kicked out the SPL, no matter the relegation scenario, there will be one less club in the SPL leading to one less club in the SFL = vacancy! Simple, simple stuff.

 

I think he's forgotten that if you don't relegate a team to Div 1 then after one team being promoted, you have one less team in the league. 10 - 1 + 0 = 9. The other scenario is 10 - 2 + 1 = 9. No matter which way you do it you end up with the number 9.

 

Why wouldn't they let us in Div 1?