Regan defends Ogilvie in Carry On Campbell

Stewart Regan has defended SFA President Campbell Ogilvie and sees no reason for the former Rangers director to step down.

A BBC documentary ‘Rangers- The Men Who Sold The Jerseys’ claimed that Ogilvie had £95,000 paid into an Employee Benefit Trust.

The way that Rangers operated the controversial scheme is at the centre of a long running dispute with HMRC that could see the club hit with a bill in excess of £50m.

Separate to the HMRC enquiry the SPL are holding their own investigation into the issue of undeclared payments which would render any player ineligible from matches staged by the SFA.

Ogilvie built up a reputation as a great administrator in the game but despite being a Rangers director for five of the years when the EBT scheme was operational- and personally benefiting from payments- Regan sees no reason for the President of the SFA to step aside.

As far as the board of the Scottish FA is concerned, we have got no issue with the position that we currently find ourselves in,” Regan replied when asked about Ogilvie.

“This is a board decision and the board has got no reason for Campbell Ogilvie not to be doing the job he is doing, providing that he doesn’t get involved in decision-making matters involving Rangers Football Club.”

Regan added: “Campbell was Rangers’ secretary but he wasn’t involved in any of the correspondence relating to players’ EBTs.

 

That was done much higher up the chain of command and we are satisfied the president has disclosed all of the facts as he knows them to us.

The SFA board see his integrity as being intact and they are happy he’s done nothing wrong.”

 

The most immediate task facing the SFA is to deal with the charge against Rangers of bringing the game into disrepute.

Last week Rangers went to the Court of Session to get a 12 month transfer embargo overturned but found the matter referred back to the SFA.

The only punishments available are for a suspension or expulsion from the SFA or a Scottish Cup ban.

Would be Rangers owner Charlie Green had suggested that a compromise could be achieved ‘for the good of Scottish football’ but Regan has warned that the SFA will apply one of the prescribed punishments.

He added: “As a board, we recognise the independence of the process and we will not interfere.

“There won’t be and can’t be any deals, as has been highlighted in the press recently.

“There is no need for guidance as such. In terms of the appellate tribunal themselves, they will deal with the matter as they see fit.”

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