The SFA have no choice if the FTT is in HMRC's favour - in a nutshell their case is that the letters/2nd contracts/'statement of intent' of EBT's are contractual payments.

That would leave the SFA in two places either:

1. They knew about them and have allowed tax avoidance to take place allowing Rangers to gain an unfair advantage at home and abroad.

2. They legitimately did not know about it and therefore the players involved in this scheme have to be deemed ineligble to participate in the SPL/SC/SLC and UEFA tournaments.

We have already seen an admission this week about the wee tax case being used to pay players that Rangers have already accepted liability for - they still claim that is wasn't contractual though.

If you donate 1p to the RFFF via paypal it costs them at least 19p is the latest thing doing the rounds.

Apparently on Radio Clyde tonight Darrell King read a prepared statement saying it would be "inappropriate" for him to comment on the side letters/two contracts issue, even though he confirmed he'd seen one of these side letters.

The man is a journalist for a Scottish broadsheet.

Is it any wonder it takes a London based journalist to come up here to reveal this cesspit for what it is?

Mystery Arabs set to bid for Rangers - someone should tell Andrew Devlin that Dundee United fans aren't actually from the middle east.

If the involvement of UEFA is true then the SFA really do have very little opportunity for manoeuvre.

The only problem is that the SFA don't decide who takes part in the SPL.


King knows he has dropped an absolute bollock by stating Rangers players had 2 contracts and whilst he cannot possibly take it back he is doing the old Shug trick of refusing to discuss it.

Shug goes on about "internet bampots" and how folk who write blogs don't face the same legal repercussions as others in the media do yet throughout his career as a journalist he has printed story after story that wasn't true.

Doesn't matter, as the governing body they are answerable to Mr Platini.

I wonder where David Taylor is in all of this?

Of course they are answerable to Platini but if the teams vote to let Rangers remain in the SPL there is nothing the SFA can do about it.

The only thing they could do is strip Rangers of Scottish Cups, 'sue' Rangers for any prize money and stop them taking part in the Scottish Cup.

The SFA surely are the supreme governing body in Scotland.

The SPL can maybe go and play games by itself, but I presume the teams want to play in Europe and the Scottish Cup.

As the SFA are the organisation SPL clubs can appeal to if they don't agree with punishments handed out by the SPL there is no way that the SFA will be able to say that the SPL must expel Rangers from their ranks or that they must impose certain penalties on Rangers.

I didn't say that.

I said the SPL can "maybe" do what they want but with that may come consequences for any or all of the clubs in the SPL. So the SPL might have to think on..

The SFA is the overall authority in Scotland, and is recognised as such by UEFA and FIFA ..

It would be a nonsense to suggest that in the end they can't ultimately themselves investigate and rule that teams ( indeed a whole league ) cannnot compete in the Scottish Cup or European competition.

They have tried not to get involved before in the lesser matter of Hearts players not getting paid, with this stuff about being the ultimate appeals authority, and basically said it is the SPL's initial problem.

But this is rather different. The SPL neither runs the Scottish Cup or is the body answerable to UEFA and FIFA regarding international competition..

I guess if teams or leagues don't like what the SFA decides, they can appeal to UEFA / FIFA or indeed CAS.

Uefa confirm that they are in contact with the sfa and are offering assistance, however they aren't sending an compliance officer as yet.

Sorry if I got the tone of your post wrong indiana44.

I just can't see the SFA imposing any sanctions in regards to demotion except in the case of turning down a Rangers appeal should something like that happen.

Anyway, UEFA have said they haven't arranged to send a Compliance Officer to look at the SFA so Paul at CQN was talking pish there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MZNzybn-Ug

Steve Conroy as resigned as a referee after not being given an SPL appointment for over 3 months.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17398419

I suppose being given Berwick v Queens Park is a come down from being complimented on his performance in his last SPL game.

As this Paul Murray guy with his Barron Knights served on the old board, the old board that is under investigation for tax avoidance. How would he be able to get on the board again

Say the public don't want to spend £1000 a head to finance it, where would the funds be coming from

Conroy was a card happy ref, one of his finest games was at Tynecastle when a much depleted Hibs won 1-0. That was the game Karipidis was sent off and Riordan scored the penalty and then the thugs tried to attack him so Conroy bravely stepped in. It was a dirty scrappy game but he kept a lid on it and got the pen/red card spot on.

I'm a bit worried with Dunfermline sacking the manager. A new manager could spark a revival and send us down , Would Leishman maybe get the job till the end of the season. He'd certainly lift the club.

EDIT: Love how I mention he's a card happy ref when on the bbc article it states he was regularly at the bottom of the yellow/red card table and has a great way of communicating with players

He is a good communicator but games I seen him he dished out cards like a prossy dishes out STD's.

If anyone is in the area there are cash gates for both home and away fans at Tannadice today.

Scott Severin announces his career is over as a player.

Saddened when I heard that earlier. One of my favourite players. Hopefully he'll get a coaching job somewhere.

Rangers teetering on the edge of a hiding today against a United team who don't even look anywhere near their best.

was always going to be difficult to come back after the triple leg break.

Sad to see him retire as he is/was a good player

So the Rangers company secretary was involved in trying to take over St Mirren, St Mirren told them to GTF.

An Airdrie Utd/Clydebank scenario on the cards should, sorry...when, Rangers go bust?

hopefully st m****n stick to that, would not like to see them disappear despite my feelings towards that club.

We should probably get the after split fixtures pretty soon as it looks like Hearts to wrap up their place