SPL ignore Green to set date for EBT hearing

The SPL commission into dual contracts at Rangers have blanked the posturing of Charles Green and announced that their hearing into undeclared payments to players will begin on Tuesday November 13.

Following a two day procedural meeting which Green proclaimed he wouldn’t attend the SPL have announced the framework of their hearing.

While Green likes to claim selected aspects of Rangers history the SPL statement tellingly makes regular reference to oldco and newco

It reads: “The Commission has considered all the preliminary issues raised in the list submitted by Newco and points raised in letters from solicitors acting for Newco and for Oldco. It has decided:

“1.The Commission will proceed with its inquiry in the terms of the Notice of Commission and will now set a date for a hearing and give directions.

“2. Oldco and Rangers FC, who are named in the Issues contained in the Notice of Commission and alleged to have been in breach of SPL rules, will continue to have the right to appear and be represented at all hearings of the Commission and to make such submissions as they think fit.

“3. Newco, as the current owner and operator of Rangers FC, although not alleged by the SPL to have committed any breach of SPL Rules, will also have the right to appear and be represented at all hearings of the Commission and to make such submissions as it thinks fit.

“4. Written reasons for this decision will be made available in due course.”

The statement added: “Further to the decision made today the Commission make the following procedural orders:

“1. We set a date for a hearing to commence on Tuesday 13 November 2012 with continuations from day to day as may be required until Friday 16 November 2012. We will also allocate Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 November 2012 as additional dates should any further continuation be required.

“2. We direct that the solicitors for The Scottish Premier League Limited lodge any documents, additional to those already lodged, together with an outline argument and a list of witnesses by 4 pm on Friday 19 October 2012.

“3. We direct that Oldco, Newco or any other person claiming an interest and wishing to appear and be represented at the hearing give intimation to that effect and lodge any documents together with an outline argument and a list of witnesses, all by 4 pm on Thursday 1 November 2012.

“4. We direct that intimation of the aforesaid decision and of these directions be made to the solicitors for Oldco and Newco.”

The outcome of the First Tier Tribunal covering the case against Rangers by HMRC has still to be announced.