Gers not backing down on Maclennan

Rangers have vowed to continue their attempt to oust Scottish Professional Football League chairman Murdoch Maclennan from his post.

The SPFL previously rejected the club’s calls for Maclennan to be suspended over alleged business links to Celtic shareholders.

But in a club statement released yesterday, Rangers said the SPFL should have agreed to an independent investigation into the issue.

It read: “Rangers is left with no alternative but to call for Mr Maclennan to stand down.”

In May, club chairman Dave King called for Maclennan to be suspended and for an alleged conflict of interest to be investigated.

It was reported that Maclennan has business links to Celtic shareholders, but the SPFL said no investigation was “warranted”.

Rangers say it is: “surprising” that “Mr Maclennan does not recognise and acknowledge that there is clear scope for conflict of interest between the duties owed by him to the SPFL and its shareholders and the duties he now owes to INM and Mr (Dermot) Desmond and Mr (Denis) O’brien as INM shareholders”. The Ibrox club added: “Rangers believes that Mr Maclennan cannot be considered fit and proper to continue in his role as SPFL chairman as he is now obliged to recuse himself from meetings and decision-making processes which could impact on member clubs.

“The SPFL needs a chairman that can openly participate in all meetings.” The SPFL responded last night, saying it “notes the contents of Rangers’ latest press release. The Board has already made its strong and overwhelming support for the chairman very clear and we consider the matter closed.”