Annan not swayed over Rangers in Division One

[Steve1872 4]

Henry McLelland says the threat of having Scottish Premier League money withdrawn will not force Annan into voting newco Rangers into Division One.

 

Scottish Football League clubs must decide whether the new club will play there or in Division Three.

 

The SFL is paid about £2m every year by the Scottish Premier League.

 

"The SPL are threatening that, without Rangers in Division One, the money would be withdrawn - because they can't afford to pay," said Annan's chairman.

 

 

â??It's total dismay at the way they are dealing with this. We feel as though we're being bulliedâ?

 

 

 

 

 

"The SFL accounts show that that money is almost the total money that's distributed to the clubs throughout the season.

 

"Annan would get around £60,000 that could disappear. But, if that's the case then as a club they will deal with it by cutting their cloth accordingly.

 

"We feel Rangers should be in Division Three and our stance hasn't changed."

 

Charles Green's Sevco consortium had their application to replace the old liquidated Rangers in the Scottish Premier League rejected last week.

 

And the 30 SFL clubs will meet on Friday to decide whether to accept the new Rangers as members - and in which division they will play.

 

Annan were the last club to join the SFL, in Division Three, replacing Gretna after their neighbours went into liquidation following relegation from the SPL four years ago and McLelland thinks that set a precedent.

 

McLelland wants talks on reorganisation to be delayed until after Rangers issue is settled

 

"When Gretna hit trouble, it was made clear by the SFL then that, for the integrity of the game and the Scottish Football League, Gretna would have to drop into Division Three," McLelland told BBC Scotland.

 

"The same thing happened with Livingston. Rangers are a big institution, but that doesn't merit them being a special case."

 

SFL clubs could be asked to also agree to a future merger of their parent body and the SPL, with play-offs to Division One and a change to voting rights and money distribution.

 

"The restructuring of the game and the way forward needs to be dealt with seperately from the Rangers situation," said McLelland.

 

"Once the Rangers issue is settled then the clubs need to remain level-headed and move on to make radical changes for the good of the game, but that must be dealt with on its own."

 

McLelland is critical of the Scottish Football Assocation for failing to take control of the crisis and by allowing it to remain unresolved four weeks before the start of the new season.

 

The SPL and Scottish Football Association have warned that, without Rangers in Division One with the possibility of winning promotion to the top-flight in one season, television contracts will be lost and more clubs could face administration.

 

"Clubs will need to look at their wages and they'll need to look at local Scottish talent," said McLelland.

 

"It's total dismay at the way they are dealing with this. We feel as though we're being bullied."

 

McLelland recognised that Rangers would be overwhelming favourites to win Division Three, but he said it was something Annan would have to accept even if it denied them the chance of an automatic promotion spot.

[andy steel 0]

Can't fault that statement, seems perfectly reasonable and sane. I didn't like Sandy Jardine's claim that we were a special case, so I agree with this wallah.

 

Plus, we get to see the trumpets in the SPL collapse. Fuck humility, I want revenge!

[Robert 17]

Good on them. Hopefully more will follow suit.

[Guest Bluenose80]

Good statement I just wish they would question more the legality of the SPL refusing to honour (I user that term loosely as the SPL don't do things honourably) a binding contract with the SFL.

[der Berliner 3,292]

Obviously, we should not forget here that Annan will play Rangers 4 times per season in Division 3 to make up for any loss from the SPL deal.

[Zappa 0]

Obviously, we should not forget here that Annan will play Rangers 4 times per season in Division 3 to make up for any loss from the SPL deal.

 

That's why it would be ludicrous if the SFA allow the 30 SFL clubs to vote on which league we'll be playing in next season. Clearly, the majority of second and third division clubs will vote for us to go to division three so that they can profit from our participation in their leagues. Why would any of the second and third division clubs vote us into the first division? There's obviously the financial threat, but I doubt if it's significant enough to sway their vote in the majority of cases. Annan for example, will easily make more than the sixty grand they're being threatened with losing just from their two home games against us.

[Annan Bear 0]

Plus the fact that "Chunky" McClelland is a Rangers fan and used to travel on the same supporters bus as me.

Annan have never run the club beyond their means and survive on mainly the income from the Social Club right next to the ground. As you say 4 games against us will be a windfall. The ground is currently having a new 3G pitch b laid and the famous old slope has gone - although it will be great to see The Rangers at Galabank i wish it had been under different circumstances.

[calscot 0]

I'd imagine Queens Park could make a huge amount from us with their games at Hampden. Should be 20k crowd easy.