THE on-going case of 'Rangersgate' is a unique situation for Scottish football. It will never be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. Very serious questions have been raised and will continue to be raised. It is not scare-mongering to suggest, the ramifications of events around that club threatens the credibility and indeed future of Scottish football.
The proposed CVA might happen within a time-scale which allows Rangers FC to continue to operate. It might not, in which case, liquidation is inevitable and although a so-called "Newco" might arise to carry-on the business of Rangers FC: to provide full-time professional football, out of Ibrox Park, for a long-established and large constituency.
Whichever of the above alternative scenarios eventually comes to pass - we dare not (unless we are seriously "Celtic-minded") think of the third scenario - liquidation, closure of ground, sell-off of all assets, demolition of Ibrox, sale of Murray Park, ta-ta Rangers, hello down-sizing of Scottish football.
Can Scottish football allow this to happen? Can the game up here allow "Ra Peepul" to walk away? My old mentor Ian Archer's brilliant line from the mid-seventies, when he described "Ra Peepul" as: "A permanent embarrassment, an occasional disgrace" to Scotland still holds good - and a doff of the cap to rangerstaxcase for reminding me of it en passant. But, is Scottish football in such a healthy state, it can allow all those committed, often over-committed fans, to simply walk away because they have no team to support?
It wasn't their fault David Murray's management strategy was flawed. Certainly, when Murray offered them a chance to get involved through his various share issues - not too many of "Ra Peepul" were prepared to put their hands in their pockets. If they had, maybe some of Murray's excesses might have been curbed.
It wasn't the fans' fault that Murray eventually virtually gave the club away to a spiv, chancer and probably (from the evidence which has entered the public domain) a crook.
It wasn't their fault this spiv (Craig Whyte) then deliberately set-out to upset HMRC and brought-about administration. It wasn't their fault that Whyte's pet administrators have apparently been less than scrupulous in their administration of the club and that another man whose credentials as a saviour (Charles Green) don't stand-up to forensic examination, has now emerged as the likely new owner.
It wasn't their fault that the SFA has failed in its duty of care in overseeing the good name of Scottish football - although to be fair, the above suspects: Murray, Whyte, the administrators and now Mr Green have hardly shown themselves worthy of the stewardship of a 140-year-old national institution.
Now, the SFA has to finally flex its muscles, sort-out the mess and either declare Rangers FC persona no gratia within Scottish football, or help restore it to the bosom of the Scottish football family. If they don't the consequences could be catastrophic, not least for them, if FIFA and UEFA decide they have lacked vigour in pursuing Rangers.
Many, many questions about this entire affair remain unanswered. Getting these answers will take time, time which, with the new season only weeks away, Scottish football doesn't have.
So - what to do? Here is the Socrates MacSporran big idea.
Since Lord Glennie has punted the decision as to how to punish those Rangers misdeeds which have been proven back to the SFA and since Rangers FC is on-record as being quite happy to accept a season's ban from the Scottish Cup - a sanction which the SFA Appeals Panel felt was unacceptable, I feel the SFA should step in as follows:
Rescind the Rangers FC licence to play in Scottish football for one season.
This means the registration of the retained players reverts to the SFA.
The SFA then transfers the Rangers FC operating licence to a "shell" club, with the playing side run by the existing Rangers FC management, but overseen by a board of directors elected from within the "Rangers Family" (the existing Rangers Supporters representative groups - Blue Order, Rangers Supporters Trust, Rangers Assembly etc), club legends, season ticket and debenture holders. Gordon Smith, John Greig, Sandy Jardine might prove acceptable figures as potential CEO, Chairman and directors for instance.
The shell club would take-over the registrations of the retained players, although, those who had negotiated free transfers at a given fee, while accepting a pay cut, would still be free to move.
The SFA then instructs the SPL to promote Dundee to fill the vacancy in their league (as per the rules) and the SFL to promote Airdrie United to their First Division and Stranraer to their Second Division, since they were the losing teams in the promotion-relegation play-offs, with the shell club filling the Division Three vacancy.
The Shell club then plays out of Hampden as Rangers 2012 or whatever, during the period that Rangers 1873 is supsended.
This move preserves the sporting integrity of the game in Scotland - the errant club has been punished, but the fans still have a team to support and, who knows, they might (hopefully) learn humility whilst in exile to the lower divisions.
While this team plays on, the wrong-doers can be dealt with separately.
I would suggest that there is prima facea evidence of financial wrong-doing etc, which should be examined forensically by a Scottish Government review panel and, where wrong-doing can be demonstrated, charges should be brought. At the same time, Duff & Phelps should be removed and an independent, established and competent Scottish-based team of administrators, of demonstrated probity, be appointed to sort-out the mess, liquidate Rangers 1873 and attempt to bring Rangers 2012 and the remnants of Rangers 1873 back together to play out of Ibrox in season 2013-2014 or 2014-2015 - with a presumption towards ownership by the club's fans.
The SFA and a board of trustees, responsible to the Scottish Government or SportScotland, should oversee the reunion, make certain the creditors have received the best-possible deal, and in particular that steps have been taken to re-pay in full those debts due to other football clubs, Scottish and foreign. They will have the final say on when the two entities are reunited as one.
The good name of Scottsh football demands nothing less.
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