No bias in SFA says chief Ian

SCOTTISH Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell i nsists the Hampden hierarchy is totally independent despite the latest row with Rangers.

Ibrox chairman Dave King has been on the attack since comments made by SFA board member Gary Hughes in 2006, in which he referred to Rangers fans as the “great unwashed”, resurfaced last week.

Hughes has now decided to step down from his nonexecutive director role but Rangers are continuing to demand answers from the governing body.

In a statement onTuesday the club said they wanted assurances Hughes was not party to actions which “could have i mpacted negatively” on the Light Blues during his three-year tenure, and questioned whether he had any say in the decision to charge the club over their 2011 Uefa licence application.

King has also f ound himself embroiled in a spat with the Scottish Professional Football League over chairman Murdoch MacLennan’s business links with Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond.

But Maxwell reckons Rangers do not need to worry about anyone on the SFA’s payroll operating with ulterior motives.

“I’ve not seen any sign of anybody being anything other than wholly independent,” he said.

“It’s hugely i mportant that we are seen as being i n d e p e n d e n t . We ’r e a governing body and part of our function is to govern the game.”

SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell.