Rangers and the SPFL rebels receive extra support as league chiefs stop short of detail

The SPFL have blasted back at the Scottish football "Gang of Six" who roasted the league beaks over their external review by telling the rebels to get their facts straight.

Rangers, Aberdeen, Motherwell, St Mirren, St Johnstone and Livingston joined forced to slam chairman Murdo MacLennan and chief exec Neil Doncaster’s handling of a report into SPFL governance. The letter from the half dozen sides was scathing after MacLennan declared the review provided a clean bill of health and a pat on the back from external auditors Henderson Loggie.

The SPFL were accused of air-brushing the findings, lacking transparency and independence, only consulting one club – Aberdeen – for input and releasing the complimentary statement on the review without running it past the full SPFL board. It marked an escalation of a dispute three years in the making – kicked off with the Rangers row over league sponsors Cinch. The SPFL were eventually forced into a climbdown after a court case with MacLennon issuing an apology and the league hit with league costs. The audit was set up to avoid future conflict – but the findings are now being disputed.

The Gang of Six went on the attack – but the SPFL have returned fire and accused the rebel group of getting their facts wrong. A short statement issued yesterday evening on behalf of the SPFL said: “We can confirm that yesterday we received a letter on behalf of six Premiership clubs.

“The letter contained a number of factual inaccuracies, which we have now addressed with those clubs. We look forward to discussing the recommendations of the independent governance review with all Premiership clubs at a meeting soon, once the process has been completed.”

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