The SFA have launched a probe into Livingston director Neil Rankine that could unravel multiple rule breaking throughout the highest reaches of the game.
Rankine is believed to hold shareholdings at Dumbarton and East Fife- much like Campbell Ogilvie did while retaining his Rangers shareholding while serving as a director of Hearts and SFA committee man.
Ogilvie is widely respected throughout the game for his intimate knowledge of the rules and regulations.
Yesterday the SFA served Livingston with a notice of complaint questioning Rankine’s eligibility as a fit and proper person despite turning a blind eye, and often assisting, the procession of dubious characters to have sat in the Blue Room at Ibrox in recent years.
According to the SFA charge Livingston breached five rules in relation to Rankine.
Among the charges it is claimed that: “The truth being that Neil Rankine then held and continues to hold interests in East Fife FC and Dumbarton FC in addition to his shareholding in Livingston FC through Livingston 5 Ltd.”
A further charge claims: “By holding interests in East Fife FC and Dumbarton FC, through Neil Rankine, shareholder of Livingston 5 Ltd, whereby Livingston FC holds power to influence the management or administration of those two aforementioned other clubs.”
Even by their own standards the brass neck of the SFA, under president Ogilvie, is breathtaking.
With the ultimate skeleton in the (board)room still drawing a salary it would seem wise for the SFA to turn a blind eye to whatever Rankine may be up to when their president held an interest in two of the top clubs in the country.
In June 2012 Alex Thomson’s Channel 4 blog highlighted Ogilvie’s conflict of interest stating: “In 2008 a Companies House report showed Mr Ogilvie held 3,505 Rangers shares whilst in senior management at Hearts. That year he became chief executive at Hearts and suddenly transferred his 3,505 Rangers shares to his wife Karolina, who already held 400 – thus giving her 3,905 shares.”
According to the SFA rules at the time: “Except with the prior written consent of the Board, no Member, Associate Member or Official, may at one time either directly or indirectly:-
“21.1.1 hold or seek to acquire beneficial ownership of or deal in the shares or securities of another club; or
“21.1.2 be a member or shareholder of, or lender in any capacity to, more than one club…”
The rules also state that having family members owning shares means they are treated as associates meaning that the transfer of shares from Campbell to Karolina Ogilvie was of no significance.
Rankine’s case will be heard by the SFA on September 10 with Livingston having plenty of whataboutery evidence to bring to the table.
In April 2012 the SFA fined Craig Whyte £200,000 for failing to disclose that he had once served a seven year ban from holding a directorship.
Five months after being fined Whyte said: “I said at the time there’s no chance of paying. They haven’t written to me officially, they haven’t asked for any money – but I’ve made it very clear that I will never pay the SFA £200,000.”
Going into more detail about the administration and liquidation of Rangers Whyte revealed: “In October (2011), I met Neil Doncaster and Ralph Topping in London, told them administration was almost inevitable.
“I told them that exit by a CVA (creditors agreement) is unlikely and that we would need a lot of support to get through a really tough situation.
“They obviously didn’t want to lose Rangers from the SPL and they were supportive. It was a positive meeting.”
Despite being alerted to the inevitability of liquidation the SPL and SFA took no action on the crisis brewing at Ibrox.
A year later the BBC reported that the SFA were taking Whyte to court but it seems that the action has been dropped with some claims that Whyte disclosed the full extent of the crisis at Ibrox to Ogilvie and Stewart Regan over dinner in December 2012.
With Whyte’s habit for recording all conversations a courtroom showdown with Ogilvie and Regan would make compulsive viewing.
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