WELL - now we know, SFL Division 3 it should be for new "Rangers" in the new season. I still hae ma doots though; on the face of it, this is the best and most-obvious outcome to a difficult case, which has been made even more difficult by the lack of leadership and clear thought by the Hampden "blazers".
But, as I have repeatedly pointed out, there are so-many unanswered questions to be answered; undecided decisions to be made and unfinished business to be tidied-up - and not a lot of time in which to complete this tidy-up.
The new club which I and others have come to refer to as I Can't Believe It's Not Rangers now knows where it should be playing in the new season - if it comes to pass that they do indeed play. Today's decision has also opened the doors to potential further upheaval. The SFA and SPL have tried everything in their power to bully the SFL clubs into admitting ICBINR directly into SFL1; the 30 clubs have, to their credit, stood-up to the strong-arm tactics. What will the SPL/SFA response be?
The ten SFL1 clubs have made it clear, they do not want Rangers in their league - how will the 11 SPL clubs react to that? Some have suggested they might do a total volte face and admit ICBINR to their league as "Team 12", having only last month flung-out Rangers. The chances of this happening are very long, but, as this whole case has shown - you can never say never.
Or might the SPL response be (assuming they do not go all the way and invite ICBINR in) - to not admit either Dundee or Dunfermline Athletic to fill the Rangers vacancy, but go with 11 clubs in season 2012-13?
This would leave the SFL to somehow fit 31 clubs into a 30-club, three ten-club divisions, league. The SPL will meet on Monday, their meeting ought to be very interesting.
But, suppose we do indeed see ICBINR playing in SFL Division 3 next month? Given the manner in which most of the big-name Rangers players have shot the craw and had nothing to do with ICBINR, Division 3 is probably the best place from which the rump of has-beens, never-weres and might-never-bes whom manager Ally McCoist has to somehow meld into something approaching a "Rangers" team can be pulled together.
IF the young "Apprentice Boys" are as good as the Rangers propoganda machine wants us to believe - they ought to shoot through Division 3 in a single season, before doing likewise in Division 2 in season 2013-2014. The real Rangers fans will back them to the hilt and it should make for an exciting and interesting time.
However, this assumes that Charles Green's Sevco, the "corporate wrapper" for ICBINR can find the necessary finance for the new season; and, if not more-importantly, that the somewhat dubious manner in which Mr Green acquired Ibrox, Murray Park, the Albion Car Park, the remaining players and the Rangers "intellectual rights" is not over-turned by the HMRC-appointed liquidators BDO, or by one of the other legal issues arising. There have, after all, been suggestions that, faced with climbing out of Division 3 and all the way to the SPL - Mr Green might pull-out. What then?
I can still see rich pickings for m'learned friends in the years ahead. However, if we take matters at face value, starting-off in Division 3 could be the making of a new and successful period ahead for "Rangers". Ally McCoist has been handed a great chance to build his managerial legend.
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