The Times has reproduced a letter sent by Celtic to the SFA in 2012 written shortly before Rangers went into liquidation.
It is claimed that Celtic requested a Judicial Review of regulation matters two months ago with the letter from 25 May 2012 outlining the concerns caused by dual contracts and various rule breaches.
The letter also questions the roles of a number of Ibrox officials- many of whom have waltzed back into power with jobs at Sevco.
The Times reports: “If the allegations of ‘double contracts’ for players are true, and a breach of SPL and/or SFA rules is established, the eligibility of those players to have competed in domestic league and cup competitions will be called into question,” Lawwell wrote in his letter, sent on May 25, 2012, the 45th anniversary of Celtic’s European Cup triumph.
“In turn, the integrity of the football results achieved by using those players would by necessity also fall into question. Any wrongdoing then established would have to be subject to fair and proportionate sanctions, including retrospectively, if appropriate. However, at a higher level, in our opinion this whole affair is causing lasting damage to the reputation and integrity of Scottish football.”
“The interests of fairness and Scottish football now demand that the SFA act decisively. The initial inquiry should now be reconvened or a new independent panel led by a judge or senior lawyer should be formed to investigate and report upon the Rangers EBT issues and consider whether there has been any further breach of the Association’s rules, including those on disrepute.
“The roles of individuals (past and present) subject to the jurisdiction of the Association should also be examined. This should take place as quickly as possible, irrespective of the SPL’s own investigations.”
Since 2012 a number of similar decisions have defied logic with the SFA appearing to make up the rules as they go along.
After the July verdict from the Supreme Court the official message has been that there is no appetite for retrospective action and that it is time to move on ‘for the good of Scottish football’.
The appearance of this letter and the SFAs refusal to respond to the request for a Judicial Review suggests that the issue is still live.
Having been badly exposed in a twitter ticket row it’s unlikely that transparency campaigner Stewart Regan will comment on the 2012 letter.