Rangers B team embroiled in row as Stenhousuir chairman slams ‘grubby’ SFA decision
Rangers’ B team have finally been accepted back into the Scottish Lowland League for the 2022-23 season after months of negotiation.
The clubs of Scotland’s highest non-league division had originally voted against the inclusion of B teams after Hearts stated their intention to join Rangers and Celtic in entering a side.
But a secondary vote was held among the clubs of the division to allow the trio to enter a side into the competition with an increase in the cost they would have to pay to do so.
According to the Daily Mail, there could also be a major change to the league structure that sees the promotion/relegation playoff against a League Two side abolished which has sparked fury for Stenhousemuir chairman Ian McMenemy.
“It seems pretty obvious that this issue has been hastily thrown into the negotiations at the 11th hour. We knew nothing about it,” McMenemy said.
“Those at the negotiating table have offered to look at relegating more League Two clubs from the SPFL in order to bribe the Lowland League into accepting Premiership colt teams into their league next season.
“The manner in which they have gone about this is just not acceptable. Clubs in Leagues One and Two are not here as bargaining chips for Premiership clubs and our fate won’t be decided in grubby backroom deals behind our backs.
“I can tell you now that reconstruction will not happen under these circumstances. I feel sorry for the Lowland League clubs who have been deceived into thinking this was likely.”
Understandable
You can’t really blame the Stenhousemuir chairman for reacting to such news like this considering what it could mean for his club.
The Warriors are currently sitting in League Two and it could only take one bad season to see them automatically relegated to non-league football whereas before they could have had the chance to play for their league place in the playoff.
This debacle may not be over for some time and even though our B side are currently in the division for next season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they was a U-turn by the Lowland League clubs if this move doesn’t happen.
Either way, there is no chance for the Rangers B side to earn promotion themselves with all B teams ineligible to fight for such honours to keep the door open for individual clubs to make the step up to the SPFL.
We need this to remain in place because our youngsters are getting invaluable games at a senior level without having to leave Auchenhowie on loan which gives Giovanni van Bronckhorst the chance to call them up as and when he sees fit, as he’s done with Alex Lowry and Leon King already.
In other Rangers news, contrary to previous reports, this Light Blues icon is yet to open talks with the club over a new deal and he won’t want to take the incentive they are offering either.