Gerrard gets started on his Ibrox clearout

RANGERS last night announced the departure of out-ofcontract trio Wes Foderingham, Andy Halliday and Jon Flanagan. Goalkeeper Foderingham and midfielder Halliday end their five-year stints after helping the club back to the Premiership and reaching the 2016 Scottish Cup final. Full-back Flanagan joined from Liverpool in 2018 and played sparingly as a back-up for either James Tavernier or

Borna Barisic. Jason Holt, Jordan Rossiter and Jak Alnwick have also left after spending last season out on loan. Planning a fresh assault on Celtic after the Parkhead side were crowned champions for a ninth successive year, Rangers manager Steven Gerrard thanked the departing players for their efforts. ‘I want to recognise the contribution of the players who are leaving our squad at the end of this season,’ he said. ‘There is a lot more that people contribute to, away from the fixtures each weekend, and I commend each of the departing players for what they have given to us day in and day out. Work continues on a daily basis in planning and preparation for next season.’

The SFA, meanwhile, have confirmed they will not be taking Rangers to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over a long-running legal dispute. The Ibrox club faced charges concerning alleged irregularities surrounding the granting of a licence to play in Europe nine years ago. Declaring they had no outstanding tax debts — in line with the rules — a licence was duly granted to participate in UEFA competition. Evidence given by ex-directors during the fraud trial of former owner Craig Whyte, however, cast a different light on events. Responding to suggestions that the club

had been facing an outstanding tax bill in 2011, the SFA issued a notice of complaint for failing to observe the principles of sportsmanship and ‘behaving towards the Scottish FA and other members with the utmost good faith’. Contesting the charges, the Rangers legal team successfully argued in a preliminary hearing in June 2018 that — due to the terms of the five-way agreement between the SFA, SPL, SFL, Rangers (in administration) and Sevco which allowed the Ibrox side to restart in Scotland’s bottom tier — the matter must be referred to the Swiss-based court. After two years of legal opinion and deliberation, however, the SFA chose the day after Celtic’s title coronation to confirm that they would not be raising an action with CAS. Under the SFA rules applicable in 2011-12, the likely punishment for Rangers in the event of guilt being proven would be £5,000 to £10,000. Last night, sources close to the governing body claimed a CAS action could offer no guarantee of success and could exceed the available penalty. An SFA statement said: ‘A Judicial Panel convened to consider a Notice of Complaint raised against Rangers FC in 2018 — in relation to alleged new evidence regarding representations received prior to the awarding of a European licence for season 2011/12 — determined at a preliminary hearing that it did not have jurisdiction to determine the matter. ‘Instead, it concluded that jurisdiction lay with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. ‘Following consideration of the implications of such a referral, including legal opinion, it was the board’s unanimous position that this matter should not be referred to CAS. ‘The Scottish FA now considers the matter to be closed.’