IT IS often said that laws passed in haste tend to be bad laws; then we have that old proverb about acting in haste and repenting at leisure. The snail's pace at which our legal system sometimes appears to work, might occasionally infuriate, but, given the length of time Scots and English Law has managed to keep our countries stable and civilised, it could be said that the slow pace works.
I mention the Law today, since, as I have said on here before, one of the certainties about Rangersgate is that some of M'learned friends will emerge with their already well-padded bank accounts further enhanced. And while I am at it, the wilder elements of the Celtic Family, and the other "families" who follow the other SPL member clubs, may yet find Rangers are not as-guilty as they think they are. This show will run and run.
In the past 24-hours we have learned that winding-up the administration process and handing-over responsibility for the liquidation of Rangers 1872 to BDO may take some weeks yet, in fact, when the new 2012-13 season kicks-off, it is jus possible that Rangers 1872 is still in administration, Charles Green's "The Rangers FC" is unable to start in football and we have a right-old shambles on our hands.
The public perception is that there will be no "Rangers" either "oldco" or "newco" in the SPL next season. Nods, winks, whispers and the occasional definite statement - such as what we think Mr Romanov said in his statement of Wednesday night - have produced a belief that the SPL meeting on 4 July will refuse to admit the "newco" Rangers. But, it seems some sort of deal is being cobbled-together to have "Rangers" flung-out but only as far as the SFL Division One, pending the formation of the all-new, shiny, all-singing, all-dancing, complete with bells and whistles 'Scottish Professional Football League'.
Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab - haud me back.
Sure, I would welcome, with open arms, a single professional league structure in Scotland, under-pinned by a pyramid. Trouble is, what they are looking at would appear to guarantee the survival of 42 "professional" teams in Scottish senior football.
Let's be honest, the only thing "senior" about half of the existing 42 clubs is the fact they play in a so-called "senior" league, In reality, they are no more "senior" than many of the top "junior" clubs. Scottish senior football has far-too-many clubs - always has had and unless the SFA grasps the nettle, always will have.
I could live with 20 senior clubs, in a single league. Of course, we are told the TV companies wouldn't wear this, they MUST HAVE four "Old Firm" games per season - and by the way Celtic fans, don't give me that: "The Old Firm is dead" pish - for so-long as there is a team in the Scottish Leagues, wearing light blue strips and either playing out of Ibrox or with even a remote but traceable link to Rangers 1872 - there will be an Old Firm.
However, getting an agreement on any new league will take time, something Scottish football doesn't have, because of the uncertainty over the status of "Rangers".
So, how does the game buy time? Well the SPL has given a lead, by sending-out their fixtures with "Team 12" listed - the thng is, we don't know what this is.
So here's the Socrates plan:
1. The SFA should accept Charles Green's version of "Rangers" into membership, but suspend that membership for one year pending the settlement of some outstanding issues regarding the former Rangers 1872 and the Green version's right of succession.
2. They should take the registrations of the former Rangers 1872's retained players into SFA care pending clarification of the players' status. Those whose contract agreements with Duff & Phelps - under the terms of the wage cuts which were negotiated in February - permit them to leave, may do so. Those who remain will be re-registered to "Team 12"; this team will be re-named "Sporting Integrity Glasgow" and will play out of Hampden Park, wearing an all-white strip, with an all-dark blue change strip. This team will be managed by the existing Rangers 1872 management team.
However, the transfer fees from those former Rangers 1872 players who choose to exercise their exit clauses will be distributed pro-rata to offset the football debts outstanding to Rangers 1872, after an agreed portion has been used to cover the set-up costs of SIG. The overall management of SIG will be delegated to independent officials acceptable to the SFA and the club will be run on a not-for-profit basis with any surplus used to pay-off Rangers 1872's football debts.
3. The one-year's period of suspension of the Green "Rangers" will be used to negotiate and implement the new Scottish Professional Football League system, ideally this should be along North American lines, with two equal ten-tema "conferences" playing down to end-of-season play-offs. This SPFL will be under-pinned by regional league pyramids, working from the template used by the Scottish Junior FA, but taking congisance of the need to integrate these junior leagues with the three "senior" non-league organisations, the Highland, East of Scotland and South of Scotland leagues.
4. At the end of the year, ie, the end of season 2012-13, SIG and Mr Green's "Rangers" will be re-integrated, playing out of Ibrox.
This scenario will allow the now-departed men who got Rangers 1872 into trouble to be excluded from the game, it will allow due process of law and the liquidation of Rangers 1872 to proceed and will give clarity for the future.
It is not an ideal scenario, but, in this case, nothing would appear to be ideal - but I think it answers some of the problems Scottish football is currently facing.
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