Ibrox View: Ex-Rangers striker Thompson is right to question SPFL after Nicola Sturgeon update
The controversy that surrounded the curtailment of the Scottish domestic season will be one that lives with Rangers for years to come.
The Gers led the battle to get the campaign played to completion, but were ultimately overruled in their bid, with one of the main arguments being that clubs not be expected to wait indefinitely for a solution.
And while that’s a valid point, Nicola Sturgeon’s latest update on the matter will no doubt leave many Rangers fans feeling as if they have been cheated somewhat.
The First Minister announced on Thursday that professional football can continue behind closed doors in Scotland from next week onwards.
And the news has left ex-Ibrox striker Steven Thompson questioning the SPFL’s initial handling of the situation.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: “The clubs and the SPFL board were desperate to release funds to the clubs and that was the reason everybody voted for the league to be concluded.
“I felt there was not enough time and consideration given to trying to explore every possibility to finish the season.
“Hindsight is a great thing but looking back now, if the SPFL board were not in such a rush to get it done, I think we could have been back. The amount of games left, you could have squeezed the games in.
“But in terms of fairness with Hearts being relegated and of course all Rangers fans think Celtic ‘s title is tainted, they wouldn’t have been any of these questions had we finished the season.”
Obviously, it’s easy to look back and say this now, but Sturgeon’s update really does raise the question as to why the Scottish game couldn’t have hung on just a little while longer before making their decision.
Granted, clubs were struggling financially, and playing matches behind closed doors wouldn’t have brought back those gate receipts that are so sorely missed.
But surely there could have been a way of seeking out some kind of compromise.
When so much was at stake, it’s disappointing to know that the option of completing the season was dismissed so readily – especially now we’re being told that it was a realistic possibility.
In other Rangers news, Billy Dodds claims Lyndon Dykes would be ‘perfect buy’ for Rangers this summer.