WAIT GOES ON FOR RANGERS TO BACK UP THEIR WARNING TO THE SPFL

WE’RE now almost a month on from Rangers promising that the pressure on the SPFL was about to be turned up big time — and all we have received so far is a proposal to pay money to stick a ‘B’ team in the lower leagues.

Look, the document on both halves of the

Old Firm parachuting an Under-21 side into the bottom tier of a new 14-14-18 system is all very interesting. It’s easy to see why Rangers and Celtic would like a more competitive environment for their younger players. It is also tempting to regard it as a way to remain involved in Scottish football should a chance come up at some point to play elsewhere.

Outwith money for smaller clubs, though, the benefits it would deliver for the wider game are less clear. Certainly, Celtic and Rangers having colt sides in the Challenge Cup has hardly supercharged that competition.

The point is this, though. When Rangers, backed by Hearts and Stranraer, saw their resolution for an independent inquiry into the SPFL over April’s shambolic vote to call the season as it stands defeated, they gave the impression there was more to come.

‘It is clear that many members have lost confidence in the SPFL leadership and the need for change will not diminish,’ a club statement read. ‘The status quo cannot hold.’

Surely this ‘innovation paper’ on ‘B’ teams isn’t the only thing they had up their sleeve.

Rangers raised valid concerns about the SPFL. The fact the league is still lolloping around without a sponsor with teams going back to training this week asks further questions of those at the top.

Time will tell if Ibrox managing director Stewart Robertson’s assertion that they ‘will not be found wanting’ in challenging the SPFL was justified. However, ex-chairman Dave King’s reign became synonymous with scattergun statements and empty threats.

His successor Douglas Park needs to be careful about going down a similar road.