Rangers in vow to fight SFA charges

RANGERS last night claimed they are being judged more harshly than other clubs by the SFA’s disciplinary system.

The Ibrox club vowed to contest charges laid against them for failing to control staff and players and personal misconduct citations against two coaches, Tom Culshaw and Michael Beale, stemming from flashpoints in games against Hibernian and Celtic last month.

Manager Steven Gerrard expressed surprise at the timing of the notice of complaint landing from

SFA compliance officer

Clare Whyte on the day of their 2-0 Scottish Cup win over Stranraer.

And the club went on to hit out yesterday at the move to put their technical staff in the Hampden dock for behaviour on the touchline at Easter Road and Celtic Park,

which resulted in Culshaw and Beale being sent off on the day.

‘Rangers is astounded by the notices of complaint issued by the SFA,’ read an Ibrox statement. ‘It seems the governing body is seeking to hold Rangers to a different and more stringent code of conduct than that applied to others, with unprecedented charges being levied against the club.

‘It is our firm intention to resist the charges in the most robust manner possible.’

Hibs also received a notice of complaint for their misconduct during the 3-0 defeat by Gerrard’s team on December 20, with Jack Ross’s assistant manager John Potter facing an individual charge.

The cases are scheduled to be heard at a Hampden disciplinary tribunal on February 6.