New twist in Rangers saga over SFA transfer embargo

Rangers chairman Malcolm Murray last night insisted no final agreement has been reached over the club’s transfer embargo despite the Scottish Football Association’s earlier announcement that the newco have accepted a 12-month ban.

Scottish football’s governing body said Charles Green’s newco – owned by Sevco Scotland Ltd – had agreed to a ban beginning on September 1 as a “primary condition” of gaining membership of the SFA, and therefore being granted permission to play in the Irn-Bru Third Division next season.

The agreement, which  remains subject to final ratification, appeared to give Gers manager Ally McCoist the green light to add to his threadbare squad ahead of the embargo coming into force.

But in a fresh twist to the Rangers saga, the club released a statement late last night in which Murray claimed the SFA’s announcement was “premature”.

“Board members, the manager and senior executives from the club have been meeting with the SFA this week with the sole purpose of ensuring  the long-term future of Rangers,” Murray said in a statement on club website rangers.co.uk.

“For clarity, we have not signed any agreement yet and therefore believe the SFA’s statement to be premature.”

The embargo – plus a £160,000 fine – was handed down to Rangers by the SFA’s independent appellate tribunal for a range of offences, chief among which was the club’s failure to pay tax under former owner Craig Whyte.